Within the framework of the event, on the morning of November 3rd, at the ExCeL London Exhibition Centre, the opening ceremony of the Hanoi Tourism Space in the Vietnam tourism booth took place with the participation of Mr. Nguyen Van Phong, Deputy Secretary of the Hanoi City Party Committee and Head of the city’s delegation; Mr. Dao Quyen Truong, Deputy Ambassador of Vietnam to the United Kingdom and Northern Ireland; Mr. Tran Hoang Nam, Chairman of the Tourism Development Support Fund, Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Ms. Bui Huyen Mai, Member of the Standing Committee of the Hanoi City Party Committee and Chairwoman of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Committee of Hanoi City; Mr. Pham Tuan Long, Member of the Hanoi City Party Committee and Director of the Hanoi City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, along with representatives of the WTM Organizing Committee, tourism promotion organizations, associations, domestic and international tourism businesses, and leaders of Hanoi city departments and agencies.
Promoting the image of the capital city at the international tourism fair.
WTM London is an annual international tourism promotion event held in the United Kingdom, providing a forum for government agencies, promotion organizations, travel businesses, accommodation providers, airlines, and partners in the tourism industry to meet, exchange ideas, and network. In 2026, the fair attracted over 46,500 tourism professionals and businesses from 180 countries and territories. Held at the ExCeL London exhibition center, the event is considered one of the world’s most important tourism trade events, driving business transactions worth nearly £2.8 billion annually.
By participating in the fair, Hanoi aims to showcase the image of the thousand-year-old capital city, a destination of heritage, culture, and creativity; while also promoting its distinctive tourism products, cultural and culinary experiences, night tourism, green tourism, and products that meet the needs of the international market.
The Hanoi tourism space at the Vietnam booth features the participation of 15 tourism units and businesses from the capital city. Through a system of images, videos , publications, maps, and promotional materials in English, these units introduce the image of destinations, products, and unique tourism experiences of Hanoi to partners, businesses, and visitors.
The opening ceremony featured various activities such as performances of traditional musical instruments, a ribbon-cutting ceremony, the signing of cooperation agreements between Hanoi units and international partners, tours of the promotional space, and networking opportunities for businesses. Through these events, Hanoi showcased not only its famous heritage sites but also its cultural life, arts, cuisine, and unique experiences that bear the distinctive mark of the capital city.
Speaking at the event, Comrade Nguyen Van Phong emphasized that Hanoi has outstanding advantages in history, culture, and heritage with over a thousand years of formation and development; it is a destination preserving many UNESCO-recognized heritage values, and also holds the titles of “City for Peace” and “Creative City” in the field of design. Leveraging these advantages, the city identifies cultural and heritage tourism as its foundation, while expanding into new products such as creative tourism, night tourism, event tourism, and ecotourism.
Comrade Nguyen Van Phong affirmed that Hanoi wishes to cooperate with British and European partners in developing tourism products associated with heritage, traditional crafts, cuisine, and the autumn season of Hanoi; expanding air connectivity, digitizing destinations, and creating favorable conditions for tourists. The city also commits to creating favorable conditions for cooperation, investment, market connections, and tourism product development.
Strengthening business connections and expanding the market for British and European tourists.
Besides promoting the image of the destination, business networking is identified by Hanoi as a key focus at WTM London 2026. Within the framework of the fair, tourism businesses in the capital city will have the opportunity to meet and exchange information with travel agencies, accommodation providers, transportation companies, airlines, promotion agencies, and international tourism organizations and associations in the UK and Europe.
Business-to-business (B2B) networking activities focus on introducing products suitable for the market, understanding partner needs, updating consumer trends, and seeking opportunities for cooperation to bring international tourists to Hanoi. The tea party and partner networking program on the occasion of the opening of the Hanoi Tourism Space also provides an opportunity for parties to exchange information directly, expand relationships, and promote concrete cooperation opportunities.
Several memorandums of cooperation were signed between tourism organizations and businesses based on mutual agreement. The cooperation aimed at strengthening linkages, expanding partner networks, and supporting the development of Hanoi’s tourism promotion activities in international markets. Mobilizing the participation of Hanoi’s tourism businesses contributed to linking image promotion with market connections, product development, and business cooperation.
The United Kingdom is one of Hanoi’s important tourism markets in Europe. According to information shared by Mr. Nguyen Van Phong at the event, in the first nine months of 2026, the number of British tourists to Vietnam increased by 9.7% compared to the same period; Hanoi alone welcomed over 221,000 British visitors. British citizens are granted a 45-day visa exemption upon entering Vietnam; the direct Hanoi-London flight route has been operating since December 8, 2021, with a frequency of seven flights per week.
In addition, Hanoi was ranked second in the world for friendly customer service by the UK-based MoneySuperMarket platform, and was also selected by Time Out travel magazine as one of the 50 best cities in the world for 2026.
Participating in WTM London 2026 also provides Hanoi with an opportunity to survey and understand the UK tourist market, exchange experiences in organizing international tourism fairs, and research promotional methods suitable to the development trends of the tourism industry. Information gathered from meetings and exchanges with partners will serve as a basis for the city to further refine its promotional content, strengthen connections with target markets, and build more practical promotional activities.
Through this fair, Hanoi aims to expand relations with tourism promotion agencies, travel agencies, businesses, and media outlets in the United Kingdom and Europe; promote market information exchange, seek cooperation opportunities, diversify tourist markets, and enhance the effectiveness of tourism promotion. Through this, the city hopes to increase the attraction of international tourists, especially high-spending tourists who are interested in cultural and heritage tourism experiences and who are responsible travelers.
