Ha Noi aims to craft better image for villages

The capital city's tourism authorities have unveiled a plan to make numerous craft villages in the city more attractive to tourists, building on successes like the Van Phuc Silk Village.
Deputy Director of the Ha Noi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Mai Tien Dung, said the city has more than 1,000 traditional craft villages, but has not yet developed craft village tours.
Dung blamed this on poorly developed infrastructure and tourist services at the craft villages and the lack of the awareness among local people about tourism development and its potential to boost their living standards.
He said the department would support travel firms and craft villages in attracting more tourists by promoting a model where visitors can learn more about the production processes, place orders and buy readymade products.
In related news, Thua Thien-Hue Province has announced that it would host a national handicraft festival in 2013, aiming to strengthen the role of craft villages in tourism development.