Hanoi to prioritize cultural and eco-tourism

Hanoi will prioritize the development of cultural and eco-tourism in the coming years, Mr. Mai Tiến Dũng, Vice Director of the municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said at a tourism promotion conference on December 17.
The capital city will fully tap its natural, cultural and historical potentials in order to diversify tourist products, develop tourism while protecting environment.
Hanoi currently has some 5,100 historical sites, and over 1,300 traditional craft villages. International magazine Travel & Leisure has voted Hanoi as one of five most attractive Asian tourist cities since 2002.
The city has 639 hotels, including 38 three, four or five-star hotels, with 5,000 international standard rooms, 10 large trade centers, 84 supermarkets, 410 markets and over 200 convenience stores.
As planned, the city will develop major tourist areas in Ba Vì-Viên Nam, Tam Đảo-Sóc Sơn, the Red River corridor, and Quan Sơn-Hương Tích.
It will also embellish and develop cultural and historical sites of Cổ Loa, Văn Miếu-Quốc Tử Giám, Thăng Long royal citadel, Sơn Tây ancient citadel, Đường Lâm ancient village, the Old Quarters, and tourist spots around the West Lake and the Sword Lake.
The city will build large-scale eco-tourism resorts in Hương Sơn, Suối Hai-Ba Vì, Sóc Sơn, Mỹ Đức and along the Red River.
Hanoi is estimated to lure 11.8 million tourists, including some 1.2 million foreign visitors, this year, up 15.5% against last year.