Hanoi-Vinh Long Tourism Cooperation: Unified in Development, Enhancing the Vietnamese Experience
Capitalizing on their diverse post-merger tourism potential, Hanoi and Vinh Long are initiating a new sphere of cooperation. This collaboration is a convergence of two rich heritage regions, dedicated to crafting unique tourism products and unforgettable experiences with a special focus on captivating international visitors. This was the central focus of the recent Hanoi-Vinh Long Tourism Promotion and Development Conference held in Vinh Long Province.
The conference drew the participation of over 250 delegates from tourism management agencies, major associations, travel enterprises, and accommodation providers from both regions.
During the event, Tran Trung Hieu, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Tourism, underscored the profound significance of this partnership. He stressed that the Hanoi-Vinh Long promotional linkage is more than just expanding the travel map; it is a vital journey of cultural exchange, designed to showcase the vibrant image of Vietnam more intimately to international friends.
Hanoi stands as the nation's political and cultural heart, welcoming millions of visitors annually with its heritage tours, dynamic night tourism, unique river excursions, and millennia-old traditional festivals. Meanwhile, Vinh Long - a region newly consolidated from the three provinces of Vinh Long, Ben Tre, and Tra Vinh - possesses rare advantages in its riverine landscapes, lush orchards, rich Khmer culture, and authentic local agrarian life.
The connection between these two localities creates a unified tourism picture: an ancient and sophisticated North and a fertile and rich South. Both share the common aspiration of promoting the image of Vietnam as a dynamic, friendly, and deeply authentic country.
Photo: Viet Cuong/VNP
Commenting on the cooperation and tourism promotion between Hanoi and Vinh Long, Phan Linh Chi, Deputy Director General of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT), stated that this partnership is a crucial opportunity to expand the distribution network, connect tours and routes, and bring Vietnamese tourism products closer to both domestic and international visitors. Phan Linh Chi asserted that this linkage not only connects the Northern tourist market with the distinct products of the Southwestern (Mekong Delta) region but also lays the foundation for a multi-regional tourism value chain. This chain is ultimately aimed at establishing tourism as a key economic sector, contributing to elevating Vietnam's brand on the global tourism map.
Photo: Viet Cuong/VNP
Nguyen Thi Ngoc Dung, Deputy Director of the Vinh Long Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated that the cooperation and tourism development between Vinh Long (post-merger of Vinh Long - Ben Tre - Tra Vinh) and Hanoi have achieved remarkable results recently. This collaboration has actively contributed to the socio-economic development of both localities, as well as the nation. She noted that the two regions consistently maintain connections, exchange information, and share experiences in management, communication, marketing, and tourism promotion. Concurrently, they are facilitating travel enterprises to collaborate on product development, establishing inter-regional tours and destinations, with a priority on introducing unique, culturally rich tour programs that bear the distinct imprints of each region.
Tran Trung Hieu, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Tourism, emphasized that the overarching goal of the Hanoi - Vinh Long cooperation is to build unique, diverse, and highly attractive inter-provincial and inter-regional tourism product chains, linking destinations based on various themes, such as:
-Cultural Heritage Linkage: Exploiting the cultural and historical heritage values of Hanoi and Vinh Long (including historical-cultural relics, cultural-tourism villages), traditional festivals, and distinctive craft villages to create in-depth cultural tours. This aims to attract both domestic and international tourists and extend their length of stay.
- Nature and Experience Linkage: Connecting the ecotourism strengths of both localities to form experiential tours bearing the distinct mark of each region. This will, in turn, create an authentic, richly cultural, and differentiated experience.
- Culinary and Shopping Linkage: Promoting Hanoi's culinary strengths with its signature dishes, combined with Vinh Long's local produce and specialties such as Nam Roi pomelo, cam sanh (terracotta orange), thanh tra (plum mango), and Xiem coconut. The goal is to create tours that feature visits to fruit orchards, local specialty tasting, thereby spreading the value of Vietnamese culinary culture, stimulating consumption, and promoting commerce and service activities linked to tourism.
-Craft Village and River Tourism Linkage: Leveraging the abundant river systems of both localities, connecting riverside craft villages like Bat Trang and Van Phuc (Hanoi) with the centuries-old pottery, bamboo weaving, rattan, and traditional cake-making villages of Vinh Long to form river tourism tours deeply imprinted with craft village culture. Visitors will have the opportunity to both enjoy the charming river scenery and experience the craft village atmosphere, interact with artisans, and feel the authentic, sincere rhythm of life in both regions.
The conference was not just a meeting of management agencies but also a forum for enterprise connection. Delegates and tourism businesses from both localities also shared and proposed various solutions to boost tourism development in Vinh Long and increase the effectiveness of tourism cooperation between Hanoi and Vinh Long.
Nguyen Tien Dat, Vice Chairman of the Hanoi Tourism Association, suggested that Vinh Long needs to accelerate investment in infrastructure and develop green tourism to attract visitors from Hanoi and international markets. “We can jointly build MICE tours (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions, and Exhibitions), school tourism, and community experience tourism. Each region has its own strengths, and if coordinated well, we will create products competitive enough for the region,” Nguyen Tien Dat stated.
Meanwhile, Truong Quoc Hung, Chairman of the UNESCO Hanoi Travel Club, shared insights on the community tourism model at Con Ho (Vinh Long Province): “There, every household is a destination. They use no electricity, only oil lamps, but welcome guests with total sincerity. It is this very simplicity that makes tourists remember the place forever”. The Club, with over 1,000 members, commits to connecting tours, exchanging visitors, and coordinating the promotion of both regions domestically and internationally.
Within the framework of the conference, the Hanoi Department of Tourism and the Vinh Long Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for Cooperation for the period 2026 - 2030. The focus areas include state management cooperation on tourism; tourism promotion and marketing; product development and tour route linkage; human resource training cooperation; and digital transformation application.
Following the signing ceremony, the Hanoi delegation conducted a field survey at typical tourism sites in the Mekong Delta region, such as Con Ho, Khmer Cultural Village, Huynh Thuy Le Ancient House, Sa Dec Flower Village, Tram Chim National Park, and My Xuong Tourism Village.
There, the Hanoi delegates witnessed firsthand the rich natural environment and the unique aspects of Southern community life. Notably, the delegation attended the Ok Om Bok Festival, a national intangible cultural heritage of the Khmer people, where colorful Ngo boats glided across the water amidst the rousing sound of drums. This testifies to the strong vitality of Vietnamese culture, where tradition and modernity proceed in tandem in the new rhythm of life.
The Hanoi - Vinh Long linkage model is regarded as a blueprint for the trend of sustainable tourism development: inter-regional, product diversification, enhanced visitor experience, and local identity preservation. If Hanoi is a symphony of heritage, where every street and every roof tile tells a thousand-year-old story, then Vinh Long is a river song: rustic, fertile, and full of life.
When the two regions join hands, Vietnam gains not only new tourism routes but also a new way of storytelling: one of connection, sharing, and respect for cultural diversity.
For international visitors, the journey from the Red River to the Mekong River is not merely a cross-Vietnam trip but a journey across Vietnamese identity, from ancient heritage to simple living, from city streets to orchards. Every step is a cultural slice, every river is a thread connecting people and memories.
The conference not only opens opportunities for the two localities but also contributes to affirming the vision of Vietnamese tourism: developing through linkage, spreading through identity, and aiming for sustainability. Between the two rivers, a new journey has begun - a journey connecting two heritage regions, ensuring that visitors to Vietnam not only find beautiful sights but also feel the soul of a country that always knows how to renew itself with every step.
By Viet Cuong/VNP - Translated by Dang Huyen