Hanoi makes most of SEA Games opportunity to boost tourism

Visitors to Thang Long Royal Citadel (Photo courtesy of Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism)

Hanoi – Hanoi will bring into full play the opportunity of hosting the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in May to attract tourists to the city, according to the municipal Tourism Authority.

To anticipate this event, Hanoi has prepared numerous activities, with focus on its typical tourism product and promoting the image of a friendly and attractive capital city.

Director of the municipal Tourism Authority Dang Huong Giang said that it has built and selected several typical tours and programmes to visit famous landscapes and enjoy unique cuisine of the capital to introduce to international sport delegations, athletes and reporters. These tours are built and adjusted to suit the needs of visitors.

A series of events are scheduled to take place in late April and May such as the Hanoi Tourism Gift Festival (April 29 to May 1), Hanoi Tourism Festival (May 13-15), Hanoi Cuisine and Craft Village Tourism Festival (May 18-22).

Hanoi makes most of SEA Games opportunity to boost tourism hinh anh 2

A tour to Hoa Lo prison tourist relic site (Photo: VNA)

Through these events, the city will introduce Southeast Asian athletes and their fans, as well as international reporters and visitors, to the culture, economic potential, tourism, and friendly relations of Hanoi.

To welcome SEA Games 31 guests, the municipal Tourism Authority has held three training courses targeting staffs of accommodations and those involving community-based tourism.

To date, the Department of Culture and Sports has made eight short films featuring the city’s culture, cuisine and craft villages, which will be screened at tourist accommodations.

Hanoi sets a target of welcoming around 3.2 million tourists in the second quarter of this year, including 150,000-200,000 foreigners.