On August 19, the Viet Nam Railway Corporation (VNR) launched the tourism train “Ha Noi – Five City Gates”. (Photo: Tuan Luong)

To welcome the expected surge in visitors, Ha Noi has introduced 80 attractive tourism products to enhance traveller experiences while seizing this golden opportunity to promote the image of the Capital – “Civilised, Cultured, Modern” – to international friends.

Visitor numbers set to soar

This year, Ha Noi is the focal point for the celebrations of the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day on September 2, especially with the military parade scheduled for September 2. Experts forecast that visitor numbers to the Capital will surge. Additionally, the four-day National Day holiday presents a major opportunity for the city’s tourism sector to accelerate and welcome its largest influx of visitors of the year.

Data from Booking.com shows that since early August, Ha Noi has topped the list of destinations most searched by Vietnamese travellers for the September 2 holiday. Similarly, data from Agoda indicates that searches for accommodation in Ha Noi during the National Day period rose more than 44 times compared with the same period in 2024.

According to the Ha Noi Department of Tourism, visitor numbers are expected to increase by 40%–50% year on year during the holiday. Currently, many two- to three-star hotels in central areas are fully booked, while four- to five-star hotels have booking rates of 60%–70%, expected to reach full capacity by the holiday. Nguyen Ngoc Thanh, CEO of the A25 hotel chain (three- to four-star hotels), said that about 90% of its 40 hotels are already booked, with centrally located ones reserved since early August.

Surveys at Ha Noi’s four- and five-star hotels show that major establishments such as Sheraton (Tay Ho), Pan Pacific Ha Noi (Thanh Nien Street), Movenpick (Ly Thuong Kiet Street), Thang Long Opera (Tong Dan Street), and hotel chains like Novotel and Grand Mercure Hanoi (Cat Linh Street) currently have booking rates of around 60%–70%.

Hotels are also launching enticing promotional programmes, decorating premises with flags and flowers to spread the festive spirit of National Day, and offering diverse, beautifully presented culinary menus. Travel companies are preparing inter-regional tours from Ha Noi to destinations such as Ha Long (Quang Ninh), Cat Ba (Hai Phong), Sa Pa (Lao Cai), Moc Chau (Son La), and Ninh Binh. Nguyen Huu Cuong, CEO of Trang An Travel, noted that with the extended four-day holiday, visitors to Ha Noi are keen to explore multiple destinations, prompting the company to prepare a range of attractive domestic tours departing from Ha Noi.

A diverse array of Ha Noi’s “specialities”

To prepare for the large influx of visitors, Ha Noi has unveiled a “feast” of attractions. On August 13, the Department of Tourism launched the collection “80 Unmissable Ha Noi Experiences in the Historic Festival Season”. The products are grouped under themes: Heritage – Culture – History; Ecology – Resorts – Nature; Cuisine – Shopping – Urban Experiences; Arts – Nightlife – Creativity; Agriculture – Craft Villages – New Countryside; and Transport – Metro – Railways – Waterways – Aviation.

A highlight is the double-decker tourism train “Five City Gates – The Ha Noi Train”, launched on August 19, featuring five carriages named after Ha Noi’s iconic city gates (O Cau Den, O Quan Chuong, O Cau Giay, O Cho Dua, O Dong Mac), combining nostalgic design with distinctive cultural and culinary experiences.

Tran Trung Hieu, Deputy Director of the Ha Noi Department of Tourism, stressed that the products will offer visitors dynamic experiences of Ha Noi. Notably, 14 products are associated with different means of transport such as cyclos, electric cars, double-decker buses, the Cat Linh–Ha Dong metro line, inner-city trains, and river journeys along the Red River. “Each mode of transport offers unique experiences, showing that Ha Noi is not standing still but constantly evolving,” he remarked.

Alongside tourism products, numerous exhibitions and displays are taking place at museums, with free entry. Highlights include the display “Independence Autumn” and the large oil painting “Independence Spring” at the Ho Chi Minh Museum; “Mass Education – Lighting the Future” at the National Museum of History; and “Children of the Nation” alongside an AI in Fine Arts exhibition at the Viet Nam Museum of Fine Arts. Additionally, the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, National Exhibition Centre, and the Viet Nam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism will serve as venues for various exhibitions and cultural events.

In Ha Noi’s suburban areas, the Department of Tourism has also introduced new products, such as the route “Heritage Road of Southern Thang Long – Ha Noi”; the programme “Discovering Ba Vi Identity” featuring Muong and Dao culture; and wellness resort tourism.

Dang Huong Giang, Director of the Ha Noi Department of Tourism, affirmed that the Capital is fully prepared with unique and appealing services and tourism products to welcome domestic and international visitors during the National Day celebrations. “The Ha Noi Department of Tourism calls on every citizen and visitor to join hands in preserving the environment and landscape, ensuring Ha Noi remains a destination that is Safe – Friendly – High-quality – Attractive,” said Giang.