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| Hanoi is estimated to welcome about 1.34 million travellers during the nine-day Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday from February 14–22. (Photo: VNA) |
Hanoi (VNA) – Hanoi is estimated to welcome about 1.34 million travellers during the nine-day Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday from February 14–22, up 36.3% year-on-year, according to the municipal Department of Tourism.
The department reported that the capital city served 217,000 foreign tourists and 1.13 million domestic travellers during this period, representing year-on-year increases of 55% and 33.2%, respectively, while total tourism revenue reached 4.87 trillion VND (over 187.5 million USD), up 40.2%.
This strong growth underscores Hanoi’s robust tourism appeal from the start of the new year. The structure of international source markets continued to expand, with key markets, including China, the Republic of Korea (RoK), India, France, the UK, the US, Germany and the Philippines.
The average room occupancy rate for hotels and serviced apartments reached about 66.8%, up 1.2 percentage points year on year, while the 4–5-star hotel segment recorded occupancy of over 72%. Many accommodation establishments reported strong early bookings and longer stays throughout the Tet holiday.
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| Visitors eagerly immerse themselves in the festival’s vibrant atmosphere in Hanoi (Photo: VNA) |
A key highlight of Hanoi’s tourism during this year’s Tet holiday was the stronger focus on cultural experiences, interactivity of products at tourist sites. A series of heritage sites and cultural spaces hosted activities rich in traditional Tet atmosphere, combining folk art performances with introductions to craft villages and intangible cultural heritage.
A range of new tourism products integrating modern technology were also introduced, adding distinctive appeal. Notable examples include the “Ky uc Cot Co” tour featuring 3D mapping performances at the Thang Long Imperial Citadel; a “digital historical site and festival space” model piloted at the Co Loa Festival; and the rollout of e-ticketing, QR code control and AI-powered cameras at the Huong Pagoda Festival.
In addition, night-time urban tourism products, night cycling tours and cultural experience tours themed continued to attract visitors, helping extend their stays and boost spending.
Visitor numbers surged at key attractions during the period from February 14–20. The Van Mieu (Temple of Literature) – Quoc Tu Giam (Vietnam's first university) welcomed nearly 120,000 visitors, followed by the Huong Pagoda with more than 76,600, the Thang Long Imperial Citadel with over 49,000, and the Co Loa Citadel with more than 38,800.
In addition, free admission at 17 heritage sites facilitated greater access for residents and tourists to visit and experience the capital’s cultural spaces.
To achieve these results, direction and management were implemented early and in a coordinated manner. the municipal Department of Tourism issued a series of directives to improve service quality at key tourist sites, particularly special national relics; strengthen the management and organisation of festivals in connection with tourism development; and step up tourism promotion during the Tet holiday.
Accommodation facilities, shopping centres and qualified food and beverage establishments proactively prepared infrastructure and manpower, decorated spaces with Tet themes, and organised cultural experience activities such as rural-style markets, food fairs and traditional art performances. Many hotels rolled out promotional packages, including complimentary room upgrades combined with cultural experiences, to attract longer-staying guests.
The impressive growth recorded during the Tet holiday provides an important foundation for Hanoi’s tourism sector to sustain its growth momentum in 2026, move toward sustainable development, and enhance the capital’s position on the regional and international tourism map./.
