In the first three months of 2026, Hanoi is estimated to have welcomed 8.82 million visitors, marking a 20.5% increase compared to the same period last year. Among these, international tourists accounted for 2.4 million, a significant rise of 28.7%. Domestic tourists reached 6.42 million, up by 17.7%.
The total revenue from tourism in the first quarter was approximately VND36.99 trillion ($1.4 billion), an increase of 23.1%.
Alongside the growth in scale, Hanoi's tourism industry is actively renewing its products, focusing on experiential products linked to culture, craft villages, and rural areas.
Hanoi's tourism sector is also embracing digital transformation. According to Dang Huong Giang, Director of Hanoi's Department of Tourism, the city will continue to develop platforms such as digital culinary tourism maps, smart tourism ecosystems, and integrated digital data to enhance visitor experiences.
A recent survey by Vietnam Report shows that the majority of tourists prefer booking services through travel apps like Traveloka and Booking.com, accounting for 78.5%, while 56.9% book through travel company websites. This indicates that digital tourism development is becoming the main trend.
Currently, many famous landmarks in Hanoi, such as the Temple of Literature - Quoc Tu Giam, Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Hoa Lo Prison, and Perfume Pagoda, have adopted electronic tickets, automatic narration, and virtual reality (VR/AR) technology, along with QR codes.
Deputy Head of the Perfume Pagoda Festival Organizing Committee, Vuong Trong Dao, stated that the locality has implemented electronic tickets, QR code scanning, and AI camera systems, thereby improving service quality and festival management transparency.
From a business perspective, Nguyen Thi Thanh Tuyen, General Director of Ky Nghi Viet Company, said "Promoting digital transformation in online advertising programs, QR codes, etc., is truly beneficial. From young people to older customers, everyone can easily and quickly access specific information before deciding to book a tour."
Similarly, Do Hoang Trung from the Operations Department of Hanoitourist Travel Company noted that customers interested in buying tours now proactively contact through digital platforms instead of visiting directly as before.
"This requires businesses and tour guides to change their approach to adapt. Instead of only providing direct narration on the bus, we have guided customers to use QR codes at destinations, helping them be more proactive in exploring materials, images, and history," Trung said.
One of the significant breakthroughs in digital tourism in Hanoi is the application of 3D technology and artificial intelligence (AI) to preserve and promote heritage values. A clear example is the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, where the "Flag Tower Memories" tour, instead of traditional narration, uses 3D mapping technology to recreate historical layers with modern images, sound, and light.
Similarly, Director of the Center for Cultural and Scientific Activities at the Temple of Literature - Quoc Tu Giam, Le Xuan Kieu, stated that the site has digitized 40 items of the relic into QR codes for visitors to explore, and implemented automatic narration devices (Audio Guide) in 12 languages.
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