Hanoi: When cultural and heritage tourism is invested in the right direction
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The numbers show that domestic tourists continue to be an important pillar of the capital, especially during the peak period of the Lunar New Year. Meanwhile, the international market maintains a steady increase, showing the attractiveness of Hanoi on the regional tourism map…
According to the Report on work results in February and key tasks in March 2026 of the Hanoi Department of Tourism, in February 2026, the capital is estimated to welcome 3.18 million visitors, an increase of 28.5% over the same period in 2025.
Of which, international tourists were estimated at 680.8 thousand, an increase of 16.2%. Domestic tourists were estimated at 2.5 million, up 32.3% over the same period last year. Total revenue from tourists is estimated at 12.39 trillion VND, up 24.8% over the same period in 2025.
According to Ms. Dang Huong Giang, Director of Hanoi Department of Tourism, the results achieved in the first month of the new tourism year are an important foundation for the Capital Tourism industry to implement key tasks in the first quarter and the whole year 2026. In the report sent to the City People’s Committee. Hanoi, she emphasized the need to continue “improving product quality, promoting market promotion and perfecting state management institutions on tourism”.
Reality shows that the growth in visitor numbers is closely linked to a series of activities and events that are organized properly from the first days of the year. The program “Hanoi Tourism Welcome 2026 – Get on Hanoi 2026” takes place from January 30 to February 1, 2026, at Tay Ho Creative Cultural Space, opening the capital’s new tourism year.
Here, City. Hanoi awarded a decision to recognize new tourist destinations including Hanoi Botanical Garden tourist destination in Tay Tuu ward, Thiet Ung Wooden Handicraft Village tourist destination and Thuy Lam tourist destination in Thu Lam commune, and introduced more than 80 unique tourist experiences in 2026.
Immediately after that, the “Happy Tet 2026” Program held from February 6 to February 10, 2026 at Thang Long Imperial Citadel Center attracted more than 10,000 visitors with nearly 30 experiential activities, with an estimated revenue of about 10 billion VND. At the same time, the Hanoi tourism booth at the “Essence of Vietnamese Culture” section of the first Spring Fair in 2026 from February 2 to February 13, 2026 welcomed over 20,000 visitors.
In the field of digital transformation, Hanoi Department of Tourism coordinated with Foody Joint Stock Company to implement the project “Hanoi Digital Tourism Cuisine Map”, aiming to connect and integrate with the iHanoi application; coordinate with Zalo in information, promotion and tourist support; Research the possibility of cooperation with VNPay. This is a necessary step in the context of tourists increasingly prioritizing digital experiences.
In fact, digital transformation has helped Hanoi not only “recover” but also “restructure” its growth model. A series of new tourism products launched in late 2025 – early 2026 all have the clear presence of modern technology. One of the typical examples is the play The capital city of Thang Long or tour Column C Memorieser at Thang Long Imperial Citadel.
Instead of traditional narration, the program uses 3D mapping projection technology to recreate historical layers with modern images, sound and lighting. The ancient citadel walls become “living screens”, where the story of the capital Thang Long is told in the language of the digital age.
Technology here does not overshadow heritage, but enhances its accessibility to the young public – a customer group that is accustomed to digital experiences and visual content. Mr. Pham Van Thuy, Deputy Director of the National Tourism Administration, shared: “This spirit is completely consistent with the tourism development orientation of the Party and State. Not only does it focus on the number of visitors, but more importantly, it enhances the quality of experience and spreads and honors the historical heritage values of the nation.”
At Co Loa Citadel, this year’s spring festival space is also supplemented with digital information layers, interactive maps and multi-platform media content. Within the festival grounds, the Digital Heritage Space and Digital Traditional Festival include three experience zones: 360-degree 3D virtual reality, 3D hologram projection and VR zone at Gieng Ngoc.
Visitors can wear VR glasses to visit the entire relic complex under a 360-degree perspective, discover the story of the citadel’s construction, the legend of the magic crossbow, and 3D digitized artifacts; and scan the QR code to access historical, architectural, and documentary information about the festival.
It can be said that digital transformation in heritage tourism is not just a story of equipment or software. More importantly, that is how heritage is “reborn” in a new environment. That is also the foundation for Hanoi to build the image of a smart cultural tourism center, where tradition and technology complement each other. The results of the first two months of the year are a signal that the cultural tourism and heritage tourism model is being invested in the right direction and operating effectively.
With this growth momentum and clear product and market orientation, Hanoi tourism is showing its determination to create a breakthrough in growth quality. In March 2026, the Capital’s tourism industry determined that the focus is on perfecting the medium and long-term development orientation.
The Department of Tourism will develop a report evaluating 10 years of implementing Resolution 06-NQ/TU on Capital tourism development; submit to the City People’s Committee to promulgate the Hanoi Tourism Development Plan for the period 2026-2030.
The sector submits to the City People’s Committee to issue a report to the Steering Committee for the management of the city’s apparatus and staff on the Project to innovate the organizational model and methods of management, conservation, and promotion of the value of the special national historical relic site and scenic spot of the Huong Son complex (Perfume Pagoda); Deploying the plan to organize the 2026 Tourism Festival; Develop a rural tourism development plan associated with new rural construction…
Một điểm nhấn của ngành Du lịch Thủ đô là việc đánh giá, hoàn thiện điều kiện để lập hồ sơ công nhận 3 khu du lịch cấp quốc gia, gồm: Khu du lịch Ba Vì; Khu du lịch khu di tích thắng cảnh Hương Sơn; Khu du lịch khu vực Hồ Hoàn Kiếm – phụ cận và khu phố cổ.
Hanoi will also pilot agricultural experience tourism products in Bat Trang and Ung Thien; Develop a plan to organize night tourism products at the special national relic site of Soc Temple with the theme “Night of Soc Temple – Spirit of Thanh Giong”…
