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Quang Phu Cau Incense Village (Photo: baodautu.vn)
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There are about 5,400 handicraft villages nationwide, of which some 1,350 are in Hanoi, accounting for nearly 25% of the total number of the country.
Each handicraft village in Hanoi has its unique identity, producing intricate and culturally rich products and creating jobs for many rural workers.
In recent years, Hanoi's traditional trade villages have become attractive destinations to both domestic and international tourists due to their long-standing cultural values and the creativity of skilled artisans.
According to Mr. Luu Duy Dan, Chairman of the Vietnam Craft Village Association, a few years ago, the annual income of Hanoi's trade villages was around VND20 trillion. Today, this figure has increased by more than VND4 trillion, demonstrating the robust vitality of Hanoi's craft villages. However, this figure still does not fully reflect their potential and advantages, he added.
Like others across the country, Hanoi's trade villages face obstacles in their quest for sustainable growth such as shortage of raw material, environmental pollution, and limitations in marketing and sales.
Most production in trade villages is seasonal, as the supply of raw materials needed for various stages is heavily dependent on other provinces and cities, and these resources are gradually dwindling. Environmental pollution is becoming increasingly severe and is a pressing issue for most trade villages. In addition, the design, packaging and labeling of craft village products are generally simple and unattractive, making it difficult to penetrate international markets.
Trade villages not only contribute significantly to economic development and social welfare, but also hold a vast amount of cultural knowledge and unique traditional values of the capital that have been nurtured throughout its long history.
Trade village products convey the culture, history and people of the capital to both domestic and international consumers, providing understanding of the thousand-year-old Thang Long-Hanoi and promoting cultural integration and exchange. Therefore, the development of trade villages within the framework of cultural industries is a forward-looking vision for Hanoi.
Society is changing, and trade villages cannot remain static. They must adapt to evolving consumer tastes.
Craftsmen shouldn't just infuse their products with cultural spirit to add value, but also ensure that production is methodical and precise to maintain credibility and brand reputation on an international scale.
It is necessary for Hanoi to preserve and develop trade villages. The revised Capital Law recently passed by the National Assembly and the Master Plan for the Development of Trade Villages in Hanoi for the 2024 - 2030 period with a Vision to 2050 promise to create new momentum for the development of trade villages.
Therefore, the city must make effective use of existing resources, especially infrastructure and human resources.
Moreover, craftsmen and artisans play an important role in trade villages and deserve more attention. When Hanoi or any ministry or sector grants the title of artisan or recognizes an artisan village, there must be more specific and practical policies and mechanisms to utilize the value of these artisans and artisan villages./.