Hanoi will have 1,500 trade villages by 2030, according to the city’s recent development plans.

The city will restore 21 and build 17 new trade villages as part of its tourism development scheme.

The capital will invest more than 8.5 trillion VND (420 million USD), support trade villages by opening tours to the villages and creating a tourist market, and connecting them with systems of supermarkets and trade centres.

According to the plans, the villages will make up 8.4 percent of the city’s total industry and handicraft by 2015, increasing to 8.9 percent by 2030.

In the coming time, city authorities will restrict the unplanned expansion of trade villages. At the same time, Hanoi will gradually move them to industrial zones to protect the environment and ensure social security.

The development of trade villages will create 200,000 new jobs, increasing the sector’s total workforce to 1 million. Average annual income for labourers is expected to be 25-30 million VND by 2015, 35-40 million VND by 2020 and 50-60 million VND by 2030. -VNA