Over three days from March 13-15, 2026, the "Hanoi Tourism Festival 2026" was held at Thong Nhat Park in Hanoi, Vietnam's capital. The theme was "Hanoi—Green Tourism, Digital Experience." About 100 booths were divided into six zones, making for three days that condensed the diverse appeal of Hanoi tourism, from cutting-edge technology to traditional culture. Hanoi City aims to attract 35.8 million visitors (8.6 million of them international) in 2026, and this festival is a flagship event for that.
News overview
The venue was made up of six zones—Memory, Connection, Technology, Green, Food, and Four-Region Collaboration—and each area welcomed visitors with its own theme. The technology zone drew particular attention. VR360 virtual sightseeing experiences, AI-powered tourist information, and robot reception experiences were set up, making it a place to feel the cutting edge of digital tourism.
In the green zone, eco-tourism spots on the outskirts of Hanoi, such as Ba Vi mountain, Soc Son, and Duong Lam village, were introduced. You could see the intent to put forward, as a new axis of Hanoi tourism, the rich nature and rural culture reachable by venturing a little out of the city. On the traditional-culture side, guides to Bat Trang pottery village tours and traditional performing-arts shows were also held, offering deep experiences unique to the capital.
In the food zone, Hanoi's street food and local dishes gathered, and in the regional-collaboration zone, tourism resources of the northern, central, southern, and ethnic-minority regions were introduced across the board. Reference:Hanoi.gov.vn — Hanoi Tourism Festival 2026
Reactions from Vietnamese people and participants
From local participants came comments like "the robots in the technology zone were hugely popular with the children and there was a line," and the freshness of the digital experience seems to have resonated especially with younger generations. On social media, videos capturing the VR experience spread along with the hashtag "#HanoiTourismFestival2026."
Interest in green tourism was also high, with posts like "I want to get away from the city's bustle and enjoy eco-tourism" standing out. Staff of the Hanoi Department of Tourism commented, "We want to send out an environmentally conscious travel style from Hanoi," appealing their commitment to sustainable tourism. From tourism operators, there were also hopeful voices: "The target of 8.6 million international tourists is high, but this festival will be one boost."
Impact and points for Japanese tourists and travelers
For Japanese people considering Hanoi as a destination, the spots introduced at this festival serve directly as itinerary references. Bat Trang pottery village in particular is accessible about 30 minutes from central Hanoi and is a popular day-trip spot where you can enjoy pottery-making experiences and shopping. Duong Lam village is also a hidden gem retaining the appearance of an old rural village, suited to travelers who want to experience a quiet Vietnam away from the crowds.
If the digital-tourism infrastructure advances, the spread of Japanese-language AI guides and multilingual VR content can also be expected going forward. Those who want to know the background of Hanoi tourism in depth can also refer to the article on theHanoi International Travel Mart (VITM 2026). And if you checkHanoi's coffee culturetogether, the pleasures of a trip to the capital widen further.
