Tourists visit Temple of Literature in Hanoi (Source: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – The capital city ofHanoi welcomed more than 2.4 million tourists and pocketed over 8 trillion VND(345.2 million USD) from tourism services in July, up 9.5 percent and 31.5percent against the same month of 2018, respectively.
According to the municipal TourismDepartment, of the total holiday-makers, over 460,000 are foreigners, ayear-on-year rise of 9.6 percent.
In the first seven months of 2019, over16.7 million people, including 3.7 million foreigners, chose Hanoi as adestination for their holidays, up 9.2 percent and 8.9 percent year-on-year,respectively. Total revenue from tourists is estimated at 57.7 trillion VND, up28.8 percent.
In July, 64.2 percent of hotel rooms wereused, up 2.87 percent against the same month last year, but down 3.2 percentcompared with that in June. Notably, the occupancy rate for four- and five-starhotels is about 80 percent. Hanoi currently has 3,499 accommodation facilities(hotels, condotels and hostels), with a total of 60,812 rooms.
The capital city is striving for 29 milliontourists and earning 103 trillion VND in revenue this year.
Director of the municipal TourismDepartment Tran Duc Hai said better tourism products and services that meetinternational standards have made the capital’s tourism sector moreprofessional and impressed tourists.
Hanoi is now home to many internationalluxury hotel brands, international-standard golf courses and large-scale tradecentres.
Noi Bai International Airport, which hasdirect air routes linking Hanoi with more than 40 nations around the world,also helps attract more holiday-makers to the capital, Hai stated.
In addition, many experts said Hanoi hassucceeded in promoting its tourism potential methodically and professionally.
This year, the city was again listed invarious tourism rankings. Japan’s All Nippon Airways ranked it 25th among the26 best Asian cities for a combination of business and leisure. The capitalcity was ranked fourth among 25 destinations in Asia and 15th among 25destinations in the world in 2019 by TripAdvisor. Most recently, it was namedin the Cable News Network (CNN)'s list of the 17 best places in Asia.
To promote its image, the municipalPeople’s Committee and CNN recently signed a memorandum of understanding onadvertising the capital city on the channel for 2019-2024.
Besides, municipal tourism officials haveworked with Vietnam Airlines in welcoming survey teams from Japan, Australiaand Europe and organising the “Summer in Europe” programme at Ly Thai To Parkbesides Hoan Kiem lake. The department has also stepped up the development oftourism products in the suburbs.
To attract more domestic and foreigntourists, Hai said the tourism sector will increase the quality of culturaltourism products, building quality destinations to make them outstandingattractions.
Instead of developing downtown tourism asbefore, the sector is gradually tapping the potential in the suburbs todiversify products, contributing to socio-economic structure shifting in thelocalities.
According to experts and travel agencies,outlying districts should take measures to increase the quality of tourismproducts, develop infrastructure, create a healthy tourism environment andboost connectivity with other localities.
Phung Quang Thang, Director ofHanoitourist, advised localities to focus on developing key products as it isnot enough to rely on their potential.
It is important to pay attention todestination management to avoid affecting product exploitation between localenterprises and those from other places, and intensify connectivity betweenthem to build products suitable to tourists’ tastes.
According to the municipal tourismauthority, developing attractions in the suburbs should be carried out step bystep and needs long-term investment. To become tourist attractions, localitiesshould step up connectivity with travel agencies, and install signposts andnotice boards for visitors.
The department pledges to support localitiesin installing signposts and notice boards and training human resources servingin the sector, and creating favourable conditions for them to develop theindustry.-VNA
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