Hanoi strives for smoke-free environment for tourism (Source: hanoimoi.com.vn) Hanoi (VNA) – Tourism managers and experts allaffirmed the need to build a smoke-free environment to develop tourism in Hanoiat a conference in the capital city on March 20.
Participants at the conference reported that many hotelsaround the city have put up no-smoking signs and set up separate smoking rooms.Hoan Kiem district is leading the move with one third of all hotels in thedistrict (100 out of 300) banning smoking in shared spaces.
Tran Trung Hieu from the city’s Tourism Department said thedepartment is coordinating with the Health Department to persuade accommodationfacilities to adopt no-smoke practices, thus improving the quality of theirservices and sustainable tourism development in the city.
Local authorities andtravel companies are determined to work together to build non-smoking touristdestinations, restaurants and hotels in Hanoi.
Hanoi’s tourism sector hasdirectly contributed 4.15 percent and indirectly contributed 10.12 percent tothe city’s GDP.
In the first two months of2019, Hanoi welcomed nearly 4.9 million visitors, up 10.7 percent compared tothe same period last year, including 1.15 million foreigners, a rise of 16.5percent.
Total earnings from the sector during the January-Februaryperiod reached 17.31 trillion VND (744 million USD), an increase of 34.7percent year-on-year.
In 2019, Hanoi aims to lure more than 28.9 million tourists,up 10.1 percent over 2018, including over 7 million foreign visitors, up 17percent. Tourism revenue in the year is expected to rise 34 percent to 103.8trillion VND (4.46 billion USD).-VNA
