The city views craft village development not only as an economic task but also as a way to preserve heritage and promote cultural identities.

It has identified priority projects linking craft villages with tourism and developed specialised tours and experiential products. Two successful examples are Bat Trang pottery village and Van Phuc silk village, both among the first Vietnamese craft villages recognised as members of the World Crafts Cities Network.

A flagship route, the “Nam Thang Long heritage road – Essence of Vietnamese craft villages”, takes visitors through centuries-old villages in Dai Thanh, Hong Van, Ngoc Hoi, and Chuyen My communes, featuring lacquerware, tailoring, distilling and worship-product making.

Hanoi has also recognised 55 city-level tourist sites and destinations, including 26 linked to craft villages, while seven craft villages have been recognised as craft village tourist attractions. Craft products from Hanoi are currently exported to 89 countries and territories.

The city is investing in product promotion centres and creative design spaces while providing training in tour guiding and interpretation to help local residents become ambassadors for their communities.

Preserving heritage, creating new value

Experts say craft village tourism can both preserve traditional values and generate new economic opportunities.

Ha Thi Vinh, Chairwoman of the Hanoi Handicrafts and Craft Villages Association, said innovation is essential for sustainable development. Bat Trang, for example, is developing an eco-museum model to transform the village from a production centre into a cultural and tourism destination where visitors can experience its craft heritage. Local authorities are also seeking to improve product branding, QR-code applications and limited-edition product lines to increase the value of Bat Trang ceramics.

Meanwhile, Hong Van commune is combining traditional crafts, agricultural landscapes and cultural heritage to develop eco-agriculture and experiential tourism.

The commune has 11 recognised traditional craft villages, including Ninh So bamboo and rattan weaving and Ha Thai lacquerware, alongside flower-growing and high-tech agricultural models.

The development of experiential agriculture is changing local production, with residents increasingly growing crops not only for sale but also to create landscapes and provide tourism services.

Hanoi’s experience shows that linking craft villages with tourism and digital transformation is no longer simply a local initiative. By preserving heritage, promoting products through digital platforms and using tourism as a channel to showcase traditional crafts, the capital’s craft villages can integrate more deeply into the creative economy and create momentum for sustainable growth in rural areas./.