HANOI: About 8.61 million tourists, including some 211,300 foreigners, visited Hanoi between January and June, nearly triple the figure from the same period last year. The city's total tourism revenue in the first half of 2022 amounted to approximately 25.2 trillion Vietnamese dong (US$1.08 billion), more than three times higher than the figure in the first six months of 2021.

Local hotels rated 1-5 stars recorded an average occupation rate of over 30 per cent during the period, up 6.11 per cent year-on-year, reported Vietnam News Agency.

The capital city, home to 24 recognised tourist destinations, is offering a series of enticing products to attract tourists given its reopening of the local tourism industry.

These include night tours at Hoa Lo Prison and Thang Long ancient citadel; a northern mountainous wet market programme at Vietnam National Village for Ethnic Culture and Tourism in Son Tay township; and Hanoi City Tour by double-decker buses.

In addition, Hanoi has also launched many tourism exhibitions, trade fairs, and festivals.

The city eyes to welcome over 30 million visitors by 2025, according to the municipal Party Committee' draft conclusion on tourism development for 2016-2020 and following years.

The visitors are expected to spend more than 130 trillion Vietnamese dong while in the capital.

-- BERNAMA