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| Visitors to the Hanoi Tourism Gift Festival 2023 in early November. (Photo: VNA) |
This figure represents a remarkable 27% increase compared to the previous year and a heartening 83% of the pre-pandemic levels recorded in 2019. This boosts not only breathed new life into the local economy but also showcases Hanoi's enduring charm as a travel destination.
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| Visitors to the Temple of Literature in Hanoi (Source: hanoimoi.com.vn) |
One of the standout achievements of Hanoi’s tourism in 2023 is the surge in international visitors, totalling 4 million. This marks an impressive 138.1% increase compared to the prior year and a significant rebound, reaching 57% of the pre-pandemic levels in 2019. The influx of international tourists reflects Hanoi's resilience and its capacity to draw global travellers, even amid global uncertainties.
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| Foreign tourists to Hanoi Book Street (Source: https://kinhtedothi.vn) |
The city welcomed 20 million domestic visitors in 2023, reflecting a 16% increase from the previous year and an impressive 91% recovery compared to the pre-pandemic levels of 2019. This surge in domestic tourism highlights the growing interest of locals in exploring the cultural and historical treasures within their own country.
The surge in tourist numbers brought with it a significant economic boost for Hanoi. Total revenue from tourists in 2023 is estimated at nearly 87.7 trillion VND (3.65 billion USD), marking a substantial 45.5% increase compared to 2022. This remarkable economic recovery also translates to 84.4% of the tourism revenue recorded in 2019, emphasising the resilience and adaptability of Hanoi's tourism sector in the face of adversity.
The impressive growth in both international and domestic tourism, coupled with the significant economic impact, underscores Hanoi's position as a thriving cultural and economic hub.
Famous snake village officially recognised as a tourist site of Hanoi
The Hanoi suburban village of Le Mat, well-known nationwide for its snake farms and restaurants, has officially became a tourist destination of the capital city, reported VNA.
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| ‘Diet Giao Long’, literally meaning ‘Killing Snake Devil’, is a performance presenting the tale about the village saint (Photo: VNA) |
The Hanoi People's Committee last week signed a decision to recognise the village, located in Viet Hung ward, Long Bien district, as a tourist site.
According to Secretary of the ward’s Party Committee Dinh Quang Luan, the recognition is an opportunity for the locality to perform well the preservation and promotion of the cultural values of the village’s thousand-year history.
The officer said that the ward will apply an action plan to attract more tourists to develop sustainable and cultural tourism based on distinctive features of the village.
Located about 7km northeast of the city centre, Le Mat village is famous for snake catching and raising, as well as delicious dishes prepared from snakes raised by locals.
The local villagers were told that their traditional occupation is associated with an ancient legend that a local young man named Hoang conquered a giant snake-shaped sea monster.
In the old days, the village’s snake raising was for medical purposes and to make snake wine. Later, the village has used snakes to create food delicacies, becoming a well-known culinary address in Hanoi.
Not only famous for snake specialties, Le Mat also has unique historical and cultural heritages that are attractive to tourists.
The ancient village is home to numerous of communal houses, pagodas and temples.
Possessing the characteristics of ancient Hanoi, the village is home to several communal houses, pagodas, temples and wells, with beautiful architecture and landscapes. It is an ideal destination for both cultural and culinary tours.
The Le Mat village worships Buddha, the village’s temple honours a princess who is daughter of Emperor Ly Thai Tong in the 11th century, and Le Mat communal house glorifies the village saint, who explored and developed the village.
Visiting Le Mat village during its traditional festival that takes place annually from the 19th to the 23rd day of the third lunar month, tourists can enjoy the unique festive atmosphere of the Red River Delta region in general, and of the ancient citadel of Thang Long and present-day Hanoi.
The five-day festival features three major activities, including the Holy Water Procession and the Da Ngu (fishing in the village’s communal well) ritual.
The ‘Diet Giao Long’, literally means ‘Killing Snake Devil’, is a performance presenting the tale about the village saint. The performance, taking place on the yard of communal house, features a giant snake made from bamboo and cloth.
The festival will be wrapped up by another procession called Thap Tam Trai.
Every year, the Le Mat Village Traditional Festival draws tens of thousands of tourists to enjoy its unique features.
Vietnam – RoK’s largest source of Southeast Asian visitors
The Republic of Korea (RoK) is expected to welcome 420,000 Vietnamese visitors for the whole year 2023, the highest number among Southeast Asian countries, according to the Korean Tourism Organisation (KTO) in Vietnam.
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| KTO Chief Representative Lee Jae Hoon presents awards to Vietnamese partners (Photo: baochinhphu.vn) |
During January – November, over 386,900 Vietnamese travelled to the RoK, accounting for 74% of the figure recorded in the same period of 2019-the year, prior to COVID-19, and 139.7% of the number in the same time last year, reported VNA.
Vietnam was the RoK’s top MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and events) tourist market in the Southeast Asian region as more than over 38,400 visitors made MICE trips to the country as of November.
According to Lee Jae Hoon, KTO Chief Representative, around 3.6 million Koreans will visit Vietnam in 2023, making it the largest source of foreign tourists of Vietnam.
Vietnam has been a top priority market of the RoK thanks to the close relations across politics, economy, culture and tourism, he said.
With a view to realising its set target of welcoming 10 million international visitors in 2023, the KTO has carried out an array of activities to diversify its tourism markets, with a focus sharpened to the Southeast Asian region.
Next year, the organisation will introduce the RoK’s as a wonderful travel destination for international visitors, including those in Vietnam, through the top 100 alluring destinations in the Rok programme, and K-Tourism Roadshows./.