One of the most successful pilot tours is the trip to the Duong Lam ancient village in Hanoi. Mr. Luu Duc Ke, Hanoi Tourist Travel director, said that two years ago, Hanoi Tourist, together with other famous travel agencies in Hanoi created a pilot tour to the ancient village.
Nine houses in the village were chosen to be repaired and upgraded to serve the tourists. The agency’s staff and hosts carefully chose each brick, tile, material to enrich the details of these houses. They were restored and kept the ancient characteristics of the houses, as they provided the houses with modern conveniences to better serve tourists. Nine hosts were trained in food safety, served and played the role of tour guides for each of the houses. They also learned how to promote the introduction of typical costumes, food, and other specialties to tourists.
According to Mr. Luu Duc Ke, the project was supported by a VND 100 million assistance from the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism. “So far, the project has attracted a great number of tourists while local residents are very eager with the type of tourism,” he said.
This is only one of successful green tourism projects in Hanoi. Mr. Mai Tien Dung, deputy head of the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said that the Hanoi tourism sector is now conducting other green tours such as a city tour in Hoan Kiem district, a homestay tour, ecological tourism in Soc Son district, a spiritual tour and so on. “These tours attract foreign tourists, especially European tourists,” he said.
Not only focusing on tours in Hanoi, travel agencies are now working with other provinces to build up new and attractive green tours to serve tourists. According to Mr. Luu Duc Ke, Lac village in the northern province of Lai Chau, with the beauty of valleys and mountains, and the specific cultural characteristics of the Thai and Muong ethnic minority groups, have attracted foreign tourism. Recently, a new tour to Pom Coong village, next to Lac village, have also been created to attract a great deal of northern European visitors.
Local residents have been trained in tourism activities. Therefore, apart from the beautiful landscape, the local residents’ enthusiasm and hospitability has brought excitement and a local flavour to the tours.
Building up a new image
These tours are part of an action plan to build up a newer and more beautiful image for the capital as it approaches the 1,000 years of Thang Long – Hanoi celebration. In early June, the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, together with the Vietnam National Tourism of Administration, officially launched two movements, the “Green tourism year” and “Hanoians welcome friends to their homes”. The two activities are aimed at creating a beautiful, green, clean, elegant, peaceful, friendly and hospitable Hanoi.
The Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will work with relevant agencies such as the Departments of External Affairs, Construction, Health, Industry and Trade, Transport, Internal Affairs, Education and Training, along with the the city police to encourage people to protect the environment, behave in a friendly manner, and to create an image of elegant Hanoians in the eye of domestic and international visitors.
Mr. Truong Minh Tien, Deputy Head of the Hanoi Department of Culture, Sports and Toruism, said that many tourism agencies in Hanoi have constructed models of green hotels, green tourism sites and non-smoking offices, and encouraged the use of environmentally friendly vehicles.
