Hanoi "explodes" with tourists

On the occasion of National Day this year, Hanoi is expected to welcome a nearly 40% increase in visitors compared to the same period last year. The demand for accommodation in the central area is "full", and registration for tours to visit the parade and the Old Quarter has also skyrocketed. The capital has become the hottest destination, attracting domestic and foreign tourists.

Tourists visit Hoan Kiem Lake, Hanoi . Photo: NGUYET ANH

According to data from online hotel booking platform Agoda, during the National Day holiday (September 2), Hanoi led the travel trend with the number of accommodation searches increasing more than 44 times compared to the same period in 2024. Meanwhile, data on the Booking.com platform shows that Hanoi also rose to the top position among the destinations searched by Vietnamese people.

The appeal is contagious.

That excitement is not only reflected in statistics, but also in the specific plans of many families across the country. Since the beginning of summer, Mr. Tuan's family in Da Nang City has prepared a trip to Hanoi with the hope that his two young children will be able to witness the parade celebrating the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2. He booked a hotel room in the center through Agoda more than a month ago, accepting a higher price than usual to ensure a convenient location, and also arranged additional tickets to visit the Temple of Literature - Quoc Tu Giam, Thang Long Imperial Citadel and a city tour package around West Lake.

Also in the festive atmosphere, many international tourists came to Hanoi to experience the special parade event. Mr. Mark Reynolds, a tourist from the UK, booked a room in early August at a hotel near Ba Dinh Square so as not to miss the opportunity to witness the 80th anniversary of Vietnam's National Day. He also signed up for tours to visit the Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake and historical sites such as the Temple of Literature - Quoc Tu Giam with the desire to fully enjoy the festive atmosphere and deeply learn about Vietnamese culture.

With the soaring demand during the holiday, hotels in the center of Hanoi are almost fully booked. Mai Phuong Hoa, the owner of a hotel on Hang Bac Street, said that since mid-August, all rooms have been fully booked, with many people booking three nights in a row to enjoy the entire holiday. A family in Ho Chi Minh City has been calling to ask for more rooms because they want to stay near the center to easily attend the parade and watch the fireworks. Some foreign tourists who happen to come to Hanoi during this time also accept to pay higher than the listed price, just hoping to find a place to stay.

Along with the boom in accommodation, the Hanoi tourism market on September 2nd has also entered an unprecedentedly vibrant period. According to Ms. Nguyen Hoai Thu, Director of Saigontourist Hanoi Branch, the number of visitors registering for tours to watch the parade this year increased by about 20% compared to the same period in 2024. The itineraries not only focus on the event at Ba Dinh Square, but also expand to attractive destinations in the north such as Sa Pa, Ninh Binh, Ha Long or Moc Chau. For overseas Vietnamese visitors, this is a "return to the source" journey, both experiencing cultural heritage and immersing themselves in the natural scenery and typical lifestyle of the capital and surrounding areas.

This trend further highlights the “heat” of Hanoi during the holidays, when the need for experiences does not stop at accommodation, but spreads strongly to package tours, connecting the quintessence of culture, history and nature, meeting the diverse interests of domestic and foreign tourists.

Take advantage of the "heat" to elevate tourism

According to Ms. Thu, although the holiday is still nearly two weeks away, the company has proactively reserved a large number of rooms and allocated guests to accommodation locations on the outskirts. With a distance of only 10-15 km from the communes on the outskirts of the center to Ba Dinh Square or Hoan Kiem Lake area, visitors can still travel conveniently to participate in the parade, festival activities and commemorative programs.

“Tourists who booked rooms close to the date were still satisfied with accommodation arrangements in areas close to the city center. They agreed to travel a short distance to Ba Dinh Square to watch the parade and parade and still be able to fully enjoy the festival atmosphere. Many guests said they felt happy and secure because these accommodations still ensured service quality and provided safe and convenient accommodation during the big festival.”

According to Mr. Nguyen Tien Dat, Director of AZA Travel, this year, foreign tours to Thailand, Singapore, China, South Korea, Japan, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Europe or the US are selling slower than in previous years, because many Vietnamese people prefer to stay in Hanoi to enjoy the special festival atmosphere. Not only tourists from neighboring provinces but also from the central and southern regions are flocking to the capital, causing demand to increase two to three times compared to the same period last year.

To avoid overcrowding in the city center, the travel agency has designed two product groups. The first group focuses on visiting highlights in the inner city such as Ba Dinh Square, Temple of Literature, Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter, combined with night-time economic experiences and night markets. The second group focuses on the suburbs, including museums, historical sites, the Ethnic Culture Village and eco-tourism areas, along with the National Exhibition Center in Dong Anh (Co Loa) which is hosting a major exhibition for the first time to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the founding of the country, expected to attract tens of thousands of visitors.

Therefore, visitors need to closely monitor the schedule, especially the days when the roads are closed for the rehearsal before the official parade on the morning of September 2, because Hanoi is often congested. If you want to freely visit, visitors should prioritize public transport instead of private vehicles to avoid traffic jams and help reduce pressure on the city. In addition, hotels in the center are currently fully booked, so visitors need to book in advance and flexibly choose accommodation in the surrounding areas or homestays and resorts in the suburbs such as Ba Vi, Soc Son, which are both convenient, close to nature and reasonably priced.

In addition, tourists need to prepare a reasonable schedule, should not spend all their time in the central area but should combine visiting the outskirts, can combine overnight stays at resorts or homestays. Regarding safety, tourists should be careful with taxi or technology car services, ask for prices in advance and compare many applications, and choose restaurants that ensure hygiene. Another important note is to be wary of tricks to sell cheap rooms online, especially in the central area. With these notes, tourists can still fully enjoy the holiday, immerse themselves in the special festival atmosphere of Hanoi, both safely and conveniently.

According to the Hanoi Statistics Office, the parade and march to celebrate the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2 are important historical events, expected to attract up to 40% more tourists than the same period last year. This is not only an opportunity to promote revolutionary traditions but also a "boost" for tourism, from accommodation, cuisine, transportation to entertainment, promoting the improvement of service quality. To take advantage of this effectively, Hanoi needs to develop cultural - historical tours, night tourism products, while promoting, promoting and ensuring services, thereby increasing consumption, boosting growth and completing the socio-economic goals for 2025.

According to Mr. Nguyen Tien Dat, Director of AZA Travel Company: In addition to tours organized by travel companies, there are also many independent tourists coming to Hanoi to visit, explore and watch military parades, parades, as well as participate in major events such as music festivals, causing a sharp increase in the number of visitors. It is forecasted that during the four days of commemorative activities, the city can welcome about 1.5 million visitors, two to three times more than previous holidays.

Source: Gia Hung, Nhan Dan Newspaper

Source: http://sodulich.hanoi.gov.vn/ha-noi-bung-no-khach-du-lich.html