When "color" becomes a competitive advantage.
JustCover's ranking, based on image analysis and the actual number of colors in urban landscapes, names the 10 most colorful cities in the world . Hanoi ranks 8th, surpassing Singapore (12th), Barcelona, and New York – places already considered international urban aesthetic icons. The beauty of the capital city comes from its natural accumulation over hundreds of years and cannot be replicated.
Mr. Pham Hai Quynh, Director of the Asian Tourism Development Institute (ATI), explains: Hanoi's colors come from its rich history. It's the nostalgic yellow of French colonial architecture, the mossy green of the old town's tiled roofs, interspersed with the green of trees and the lake's surface. All of this creates a constantly changing urban landscape throughout the day. From this, the world sees a dynamic visual cultural ecosystem.
Unlike modern cities with neutral color tones like Singapore or New York, Hanoi has an extremely high density of visual detail in a small area. This strong contrast is what helped Hanoi score highly in real-world image data analysis.
In fact, Hanoi's tourism sector has shown positive signs in recent years, consistently receiving recognition in international rankings. Hanoi has been honored three times in a row by the World Travel Awards as "Asia's Leading City Destination" and is among the Top 25 destinations in the world for 2025.
Mr. Vu Van Tuyen, General Director of Travelogy, commented: “This ranking is not only a joy for the tourism industry, but also a recognition of the cultural depth and urban identity of Hanoi. In a world where many cities are gradually becoming similar, Hanoi still retains its unique character, the color of memories, of life, of people, and of millennia-old cultural layers that have never faded. And that is precisely the most enduring attraction for international tourists.”
According to tourism experts, this appeal is transforming into a driving force for tourists. Visual tourism (exploring destinations through visual experiences with an emphasis on architectural and natural beauty) is no longer a fleeting trend but has become a very important part of the destination selection behavior of global tourists, especially the younger generation.
“Many people decide where to go after just a few seconds of seeing a beautiful video on TikTok, Instagram, or YouTube. This means that a destination must create a strong enough ‘visual impact’ to make viewers want to be there immediately. And Hanoi, with its high natural ‘color density’ where every street corner becomes a potential photo opportunity, possesses exactly what the global tourism market is looking for,” Mr. Vu Van Tuyen commented.
From trophies to strategies
However, realistically, the gap between accolades and effective tourism strategies remains quite large. With the goal of welcoming 8.6 million international visitors in 2026, a significant increase compared to previous years, achieving this depends on how well the recognition and accolades are translated into tangible products, experiences, and revenue.
From an urban management perspective, Pham Hai Quynh, Director of the Asian Tourism Development Institute, shared: A visual aesthetics strategy needs to be accompanied by in-depth planning. We should develop recycled art spaces from old factories, and mural streets with cultural depth, creating a modern aesthetic that harmonizes with the historical context.
Travelogy's General Director, Vu Van Tuyen, also acknowledged that, starting from the title, it is necessary to transform it into a real ecosystem of tourism products.
“Firstly, we need to develop themed tourism routes using visual language. Secondly, we need to invest more heavily in aesthetically pleasing public spaces, from street art and heritage lighting to the renovation of lake landscapes and pedestrian areas with deeper experiential depth. Thirdly, and perhaps most importantly in the digital age, we should consider international content creators as a new ‘tourism ambassador.’ Currently, many international tourists learn about Hanoi from videos by travel bloggers, YouTubers, and TikTokers. We need to invite international KOLs, organize fam trips to create content, and create conditions for tourists to easily ‘tell the story of Hanoi’ on social media,” Mr. Tuyen proposed.
It is evident that the title needs to be placed within the larger picture of the Capital's cultural industry development strategy in the spirit of Resolution 80-NQ/TW. This is also one of the requirements set forth in Plan No. 128/KH-UBND dated March 30, 2026, on the implementation of Action Program No. 08-CTr/TU dated March 17, 2026, of the Standing Committee of the Hanoi City Party Committee to implement Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW dated January 7, 2026, of the Politburo on the development of Vietnamese culture: Creating distinctive cultural tourism products associated with cultural and historical spaces, Hanoi's Old Quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake - West Lake, concentrated culinary areas - Red River - Duong Lam ancient village, and other areas with the potential to create unique and attractive tourism products for the Capital. Developing a digital map of the Capital's cuisine linked to prominent tourist areas and destinations within Hanoi's tourism product system. Develop themed tours/routes combining culinary tourism with experiences and shopping.
"The 'colors of Hanoi' lie not only in its landscapes but also largely in its fashion, cuisine, art, traditional crafts, festivals, music, and urban lifestyle. If properly exploited, Hanoi has the potential to become one of Asia's most attractive cultural, creative, and visually stunning capitals in the coming years."
Source: Hanoi Moi Newspaper
Source: http://sodulich.hanoi.gov.vn/ha-noi-ruc-ro-sac-mau-co-hoi-moi-cho-du-lich-thu-do.html
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