The driving force to bring Hanoi tourism to a new peak beyond its golden age

A family takes a photo on Hang Chao Street to celebrate the great holiday of September 2, 2025. Photo: Hai Nguyen

In the first 11 months of the year, Hanoi welcomed nearly 31 million tourists , preparing to reach the target set for the whole year 2025. This is the highest number in history, surpassing the peak of 29 million tourists in the golden year of 2019 - before the COVID-19 pandemic.

The capital's tourism industry has reached the finish line early, thanks in large part to the momentum from a series of large-scale cultural and entertainment events taking place continuously throughout the year.

Festival, concert, event explosion

This year, Hanoi witnessed an explosion of cultural events, music festivals and concerts that had regional influence. The most prominent was the A80 series of events - Celebrating the 80th Anniversary of National Day, September 2.

Festivals, exhibitions, and performances within the framework of A80 are held continuously at Hoan Kiem Lake, the central area, museums, and heritage spaces throughout the capital. Some programs recreate images of Hanoi in historical periods, attracting tens of thousands of viewers, bringing emotional experiences to visitors.

The A80 event attracts millions of tourists to the capital. Photo: Tuan Anh

The A80 event attracts millions of tourists to Hanoi. Photo: Tuan Anh

In particular, the Exhibition of Achievements of the Country on the Journey of Independence - Freedom - Happiness at the National Exhibition Center (Dong Anh, Hanoi) welcomed about 8.6 million visitors after 17 days of opening. This is a number never recorded at any exhibition in history.

During the September 2nd holiday in 2025 and the A80 anniversary, Hanoi welcomed about 2.5 million tourists. In September 2025, thanks to the A80 effect, Hanoi tourism welcomed 4.17 million visitors, an increase of 98% over the same period last year. This shows the great attraction of the event for tourists to the capital.

The National Achievements Exhibition with the theme “80 Years of Journey of Independence - Freedom - Happiness” is a key political and cultural activity to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the successful August Revolution and National Day September 2. Photo: Linh Nguyen

Besides, in the past year, many solo concerts and music festivals of Vietnamese and international artists also created a "wave" of audiences flocking to the capital.

Typically, in the first half of the year, the concert series Anh Trai Say Hi, Anh Trai Vuot Ngan Chong Gai attracted tens of thousands of domestic audiences to Hanoi.

In June 2025, the VPBank K-Star Spark in Vietnam 2025 event at My Dinh Stadium with the participation of G-Dragon and many Korean artists attracted 40,000 spectators. In November, G-Dragon returned to Hanoi with his solo concert Übermensch, recording about 100,000 spectators in 2 nights of performances.

In addition, cultural and entertainment activities continuously take place throughout the year such as the first World Cultural Festival in Hanoi, Thang Long - Hanoi Festival, Hanoi Autumn Festival... also attract tens of thousands of visitors.

On the other hand, many night entertainment activities are strongly developed, becoming the highlight of tourists' journeys. The walking space around Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter regularly hosts street music activities, brass band performances, modern dance, folk games, food stalls and creative products.

Night tours at Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Temple of Literature, Hoa Lo Prison or experiencing Hanoi by double-decker bus… also attract a large number of international tourists. These programs bring a new perspective on culture and art in the capital, while also extending the experience of tourists, especially on weekends.

The night food streets at Ta Hien, Luong Ngoc Quyen, Tong Duy Tan... continue to record a large number of visitors, especially during holidays and festivals. Hanoi is becoming a destination where tourists can "go out all day and night" thanks to the constant source of events.

Regular events not only create a steady stream of visitors but also extend their length of stay and spending.

Events become the driving force for tourism growth in the capital

Large-scale cultural and entertainment events not only increase the number of visitors but also contribute to enhancing the destination brand. Organizing many big music festivals, creative festivals, and renewed traditional cultural programs helps Hanoi become a "city of events", attracting the attention of domestic and foreign organizers.

Tourism businesses assess that events are the reason why tourists decide to come to Hanoi. Many people buy tickets to concerts, then combine sightseeing, shopping, and enjoying cuisine. This is a popular trend in major tourist cities around the world and is clearly taking shape in Hanoi.

Mr. Bui Thanh Tu - Marketing Director of BestPrice Travel Company commented: "Hanoi is developing a strategy to become a cultural industrial center, implementing heritage - creative tours, autumn festivals, culinary events, crafts, street art. This not only increases the number of visitors but also enhances the image of the capital as a "creative destination" of the region".

Events and festivals become reasons for audiences to come to the capital. Photo: Producer of Anh trai vu ngan cong gai

Events, festivals, and concerts have become reasons for art lovers to come to the capital. Photo: Producer of Anh trai vu ngan cong thorn

Social media expert Nguyen Ngoc Long commented: “Festivals, concerts and creative activities in Hanoi are creating a strong attraction for tourists, not only in terms of entertainment but also promoting other economic activities.

When attending events, tourists often combine sightseeing, shopping, enjoying cuisine and relaxing, thereby increasing total spending and experiences in the capital. This shows that the spillover effect of cultural and entertainment events is contributing to the formation of a diverse tourism and consumption ecosystem, helping Hanoi become a comprehensive and dynamic destination."

However, experts say that to maintain growth momentum, Hanoi needs to continue developing a system of annual events, creating a long-term product chain. In addition, the connection between events - tours - night services needs to be promoted to optimize economic benefits and enhance the experience of tourists.

The explosion of cultural and entertainment activities is contributing significantly to making Hanoi a dynamic, modern yet unique destination. With a stream of events taking place all year round, the capital is expected to continue to maintain its appeal, aiming for stronger growth in the coming time.

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