Hanoi is stepping up its push to win back Chinese tourists, using a major tourism fair in Tianjin to court operators and expand package sales into Vietnam’s capital and surrounding destinations.
Hanoi courts Chinese tourists at Tianjin fair
The move matters because China remains Vietnam’s biggest source of overseas visitors, and Hanoi’s tourism rebound depends heavily on keeping that market flowing into hotels, restaurants, transport and local attractions. Officials are also trying to convert promotional campaigns into actual bookings by linking Hanoi with Chinese travel firms and adding multi-stop itineraries that can lift spending per trip.
At the China Cultural and Tourism Industry Fair 2026 in Tianjin, Hanoi opened a 100-square-meter pavilion under the theme “Hanoi - Cooperation and Development,” showcasing the city’s heritage sites, food culture and nightlife. The capital promoted tours of the Thang Long Imperial Citadel, Temple of Literature, Hoan Kiem Lake, the Old Quarter and Bat Trang craft village, while also pitching linked routes such as Hanoi-Ninh Binh-Ha Long and Hanoi-Da Nang-Hoi An-Hue.
The focus on business matching reflects a shift from branding to conversion. Hanoi’s tourism department said local firms met Chinese travel agencies and partners to discuss market demand, build products and arrange inbound groups, aiming to widen cooperation on both sides of the border.
The campaign comes after Hanoi held a similar destination roadshow in Beijing on Sept. 1 that drew more than 150 Chinese partners. Those events sit within the Vietnam-China Tourism Cooperation Year 2026-2027 and a memorandum of understanding between Hanoi and Beijing for 2026-2030, signaling a more structured push to rebuild cross-border tourism ties.
The timing is important for investors and tourism businesses because Chinese arrivals are a key revenue driver across Vietnam’s hotel, retail, aviation and tour-operator sectors. Vietnam received more than 5.28 million Chinese visitors in 2025, while Hanoi welcomed over 670,965 Chinese tourists with overnight stays; in the first seven months of 2026, those totals reached about 3.08 million nationally and 461,438 in Hanoi.
For travel companies, the opportunity is not just higher volume but longer itineraries and more diversified product sales, from heritage tours to food, night-time economy experiences and craft-village visits. The next catalyst is whether Hanoi can turn the Tianjin and Beijing outreach into signed contracts, new charter routes and stronger group bookings heading into the peak travel season.
| Entity | Gains | Losses |
|---|---|---|
| Hanoi tourism sector | ▲More Chinese arrivals | ▼Weak conversion from promotion |
| Chinese travel agencies | ▲New Vietnam products | ▼Less exclusivity on outbound demand |
| Hotels, restaurants, tour operators | ▲Higher occupancy and spend | ▼Softer inbound traffic |
| Competing regional destinations | ▲Less share of China travelers | ▼Hanoi’s expanded market reach |
