Hanoi develops tourism in craft villages

Four pilot tours have been launched in the craft villages of Van Ha Wood, Ha Thai Lacquer, Chuon Ngo Painting, Bat Trang Pottery, Phu Vinh Bamboo and Rattan Weaving and Quat Dong embroidery, according to Mrs Trinh Thi Hong Loan, Head of the Management Office of Craft Industry under the Hanoi Trade and Industry Department.
Earlier, the Hanoi Trade and Industry Department invited lecturers of the Hanoi Open University’s Tourism Faculty to provide training for tourism services and culture preservation to 210 people in these craft villages.
Cooperation among the 244 craft villages in Hanoi is not strong enough, said Nguyen Hoang Luu, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi Handicraft and Trade Village Association. In addition, they still lack good tourism services and guides, while the cultural identities in these villages are fading away.
Officials of the city department also worried about the pollution in these villages due to urbanization.
Developing tourism in craft villages will not only help preserve their cultural identities but will also improve the living standards of local residents in these villages.