Despite unfavorable weather, the Hanoi Tourism Gift Festival 2024 draws a lot of visitors on its opening day, August 23, 2024. (Photo: VNA/Thanh Tung)

The annual event aims to promote the capital’s image as a safe, friendly, quality, and attractive tourist destination. It’s also meant to mark the 70th anniversary of the Capital Liberation Day (October 10) and respond to the Visit Vietnam Year - Dien Bien 2024.

The festival introduces Vietnamese-branded tourism gifts to domestic and international tourists, help boost the gift manufacturing industry, and contribute to strengthening tourism and cultural connections.

It is also expected to help preserve, honour, and bring into play the unique values of local cultural heritage and traditional crafts in tourism development.

This year’s festival highlights Hanoi’s typical dishes and promotes food tours – a tourism trend in many countries. Visitors will not only experience food or drinks but also the cultural identity and life of the local community, helping them explore the cultural story of Hanoi behind each gift.

Various activities are being held at the three-day festival, including introductions of exquisite tourism gift products, tours, tour vouchers, and promotional programs by local travel businesses.

There is also a space to showcase craft village products, a festival drum performance, Gong performances by Muong ethnic people from the suburban district of Thach That, along with street circus, hip-hop, and flash mob performances, promising interesting experiences for visitors.