Hanoi adds tourist centre

HANOI Hanoi Department of Tourism and the Vietnam Tourism Hanoi JSC has opened a second information centre for tourists in the capital city.

Local media reported the opening of the newest information centre located at No 28 Hang Dau Street in the Hanoi Old Quarter. The first centre opened, last year, at Emperor Ly Thai To flower garden.

In addition to distributing free maps, brochures for hotels, restaurants and tours, they also book tours though affiliated travel companies.

Highlighted are walking tours to discover the Old Quarter and the space around Hoan Kiem Lake, including a tour of Hanoi’s iconic buildings with visits to sites linked to the city’s history and culture.

Another tour introduces craft streets and the cultural features of Hanoi’s Old Quarter.

The centres also accepts complaints from tourists who have been scammed or overcharged for services at hotels, restaurants and tour companies in Hanoi.

Hanoi targets 30 million tourists by 2020, mainly domestic visitors with around 5.7 million international tourists. The annual growth rate should be around 8% to 10%.

Revenue from tourism by 2020 is projected to reach USD5.3 billion, up 15% to 17% annually. Occupancy rates at hotels are expected to average 60% to 65%.

This year, Hanoi has targeted 21.17 million tourists, including 3.8 international tourists, and earnings of USD2.69 billion.

Domestic travel statistics are estimates.

For the first nine months of this year, Hanoi welcomed more than 2.8 million international tourists, up 25% over the same period last year. Key sources were China, South Korea, Thailand, Germany and Canada.

sourced:ttrweekly.com