Connecting heritage, opening up green experiences

Diversify tourism products

On the occasion of the 80th anniversary of the August Revolution and National Day September 2, the Hanoi Department of Tourism in collaboration with Vietnam Railways Corporation and travel agencies introduced two completely new railway tourism products.

In particular, the 2-storey tourist train product "5 city gates" - The Hanoi Train, is arranged with 5 passenger cars and check-in - technical cars. Each passenger car is named after a familiar city gate: O Cau Den, O Quan Chuong, O Cau Giay, O Cho Dua, O Dong Mac. The Hanoi Train is the first inner-city tourist train route in the capital, a pioneering product, combining nostalgic elements with cultural - artistic design, typical Hanoi cuisine with the desire to preserve historical and cultural imprints and awaken familiar memories in the hearts of Vietnamese people, while helping today's generation better understand the glorious past and appreciate the values of the present.

The second product exploits the urban railway system, starting with Metro Line 2A Cat Linh - Ha Dong, 13 km long, 12 stations, connecting many relics, tourist attractions and large shopping centers of Hanoi. Hanoi Department of Tourism cooperated with Hanoi Railway One Member Co., Ltd. and travel businesses to build two sample tours.

In particular, the Green Journey - Van Phuc Silk Village tour will take visitors from Cat Linh station to Ha Dong station, cycling to Van Phuc silk village, silk market and communal house, experiencing silk weaving, taking photos of the colorful umbrella road, enjoying local cuisine. The Green Journey - Van Mieu - Phu Luong Depot tour starts at Van Mieu - Quoc Tu Giam, learning about history, architecture, participating in traditional cultural activities, traveling by metro to Van Khe, visiting Phu Luong Depot - the operation and maintenance center of line 2A, experiencing the OCC control room and simulated cockpit. These two tours are designed for visitors to both visit heritage sites and approach the concept of green transportation, while taking advantage of the metro's connectivity to shopping, dining and entertainment spots.

Mr. Kieu Viet - Head of Travel Management Department, Hanoi Department of Tourism said that through convenient connections, tourists can easily access cultural, historical, culinary, entertainment destinations... during their stopover at each station. Along with that, using the metro will contribute to reducing emissions, protecting the environment and encouraging the habit of using public transport.

It can be seen that rail tourism is becoming a global trend thanks to its ability to connect regions, reduce pressure on road traffic and be environmentally friendly. Hanoi, as the largest railway hub in the country, has a special advantage to strongly develop this type of tourism.

Mr. Pham Hai Quynh - Director of the Asian Tourism Development Institute, said that Hanoi's two new railway tourism products are strategic and potential steps. This is not only about exploiting a type of transport from long-distance transport routes into impressive short routes for tourism, but also about changing thinking, turning railways into a unique tourism product, connecting culture and modernity. This is a "push" for Hanoi tourism to diversify its products, create new experiences, avoid boredom and increase competitiveness compared to other destinations.

Expectations for a sustainable tourism ecosystem

According to experts, exploiting railways for tourism will contribute to the flow of visitors, reduce the load of personal vehicles, and increase spending thanks to shopping, accommodation, and culinary activities at the destination. If promoted synchronously and maintained regularly, railway tourism can completely become a separate brand of the capital, similar to the "heritage train" model in many developed countries.

Hanoi's current railway system has good connectivity with many neighboring localities and northern provinces. Major routes such as Hanoi - Lao Cai, Hanoi - Hai Phong, and the trans-Vietnam route are available "corridors" for tourism development. The Lao Cai - Hanoi - Hai Phong railway, a project being studied and implemented, promises to become a strong driving force, connecting the capital with seaports and mountainous areas in the North. The Cat Linh - Ha Dong urban railway is also an example of the potential to connect peripheral areas to the center.

According to Mr. Pham Hai Quynh, to turn the existing train line into a "green tourism corridor", the first important thing is to upgrade the infrastructure and service quality. This is a key factor, so it is necessary to invest in renovating train cars, upgrading stations and especially focusing on the quality of service on the train to bring a comfortable and convenient experience to tourists. Taking advantage of and renovating old stations into cultural and exhibition spaces is also a remarkable idea, contributing to creating more attraction for the journey.

At the same time, the development of diverse and unique tourism products also requires long-term thinking. Not only stopping at transportation, package tours should be designed to combine train travel with cultural, culinary and craft village experiences at the destination. For example, the Hanoi - Lao Cai route is not only a means of transporting tourists to Sapa, but can also become a journey to explore the lives and cultures of ethnic minorities along the way.

Close cooperation between the tourism industry, the railway industry and localities will be a prerequisite for forming a sustainable and effective tourism ecosystem.

Source: https://baolaocai.vn/ket-noi-di-san-mo-loi-trai-nghiem-xanh-post880139.html