Hanoi, one of the famous lotus growing areas in the country, has taken steps to turn lotus into a unique tourism brand and lure more tourists in lotus blooming season.
Exploring advantages
Currently, Hanoi has 600 hectares of lotus, mostly in Tay Ho, My Duc, Me Linh and Thach That districts, providing great spaces for photo taking lovers, and the materials for the production of handicraft and food products from lotus.
May products under the One Commune – One Product (OCOP) programme have been developed from lotus, including lotus silk scarf, Quang An lotus tea, Me Linh lotus tea, lotus sausage, lotus steamed sticky rice, lotus longan sweet soup, lotus jam, and lotus milk, which have been exported to many countries around the world.
Commenting on advantages of Hanoi in developing lotus tourism, Director of the municipal Department of Tourism Dang Huong Giang said that with a massive lotus area and a diversity of OCOP products from lotus, Hanoi boasts great potential to boost the development of lotus tourism.
Many localities such as Tay Ho district can become typical tourist destinations in lotus season, Giang said.
The official noted that along with a large number of huge lotus ponds, Tay Ho also stands out for many historical relics and landscapes, making it attractive for visitors in summer.
Building lotus tourism brand
This year, the People’s Committee of Tay Ho district has hosted the first Hanoi Lotus Festival to introduce OCOP products made from lotus in association with the culture of northern mountainous localities.
Chairman of the Tay Ho People's Committee Nguyen Dinh Khuyen said that this is a great chance for the district to shape its cultural and tourism brand.Tay Ho is home to more than 70 cultural and historical relic sites, including Tran Quoc Pagoda, Quan Thanh Temple and Tay Ho Temple.
The land of flowers has formed many tourist sites in association with its strengths in flower cultivation, including Nhat Tan tourist site and West Lake flower valley, while developing pedestrians’ spaces and creative spaces combined with night-time tourism.
Many five-star entertainment sites have been built in the district, including the Ho Tay Water Park and Lotte centre.President of the Hanoi Society of Travel Agents Le Thanh Thao said that along with a good infrastructure system, Tay Ho district has a complex of entertainment and shopping areas, making it easier for visitors to have full experiences.
She advised the city to build tours and routes in association with the Hanoi Lotus Festival, creating its own tourism brand alongside the capital's tourism brand.
At the same time, the district should launch more cultural and culinary products and activities related to lotus flower such as introducing Hanoi's lotus-marinated tea essence in some artisan families, and encouraging culinary establishments and restaurants to create more lotus dishes.
VietFoot Travel Director Pham Duy Nghia said that in order to promote local lotus season tourism, Hanoi should make the Lotus Festival an annual event, while expanding lotus farming area in Tay Ho district, stepping up the introduction of tourist sites linked with Hanoi lotus, and expanding lotus growing areas and lotus tourism products in other localities across the city.
The capital city of Hanoi’s first lotus festival is being held at the Cultural and Creative Space in Tay Ho district from July 12-16.
Within the festival’s framework, there will be a workshop on the conservation and development of Vietnamese lotus, the inauguration of a centre for OCOP product introduction and sale in Tay Ho, a lotus installation art space, an exhibition of lotus photos in the Vietnamese life, a promotion programme for the district’s tourism, and a music night featuring works by Vietnamese popular composer Trinh Cong Son, among many other activities./
