Some áo dài designs that will be presented at Hanoi Tourism Ao Dai Festival 2023. Photo courtesy of Nguyễn Đình Trung

HÀ NỘI — The elegant beauty of áo dài (Vietnamese traditional dress) and Hà Nội tourism will be highlighted at an artistic space within Hà Nội Tourism Áo Dài Festival 2023, which takes place in the pedestrian area around Hoàn Kiếm Lake on October 27-29.

According to the vice director of Hà Nội’s Department of Tourism, Nguyễn Hồng Minh, the festival aims to promote the city’s tourism in association with national tourism, and boost the recovery and development of other sectors while preserving the traditional cultural values of the nation.

It is also expected to honour áo dài as a source of creativity and a product of unique, attractive and effective forms of tourism, as well as create opportunities to introduce and connect Hà Nội’s tourism enterprises with áo dài designers, he added.

One of the much-anticipated tourism events of the capital city, jointly held by Hà Nội’s Department of Tourism and Hanoi Women’s Union, the festival will include a variety of arts, fashion and cultural activities.

Its opening ceremony, themed Khám Phá Nét Son Hà Nội (Exploring the Beauty of Hà Nội), takes place in a backdrop designed like a train of history, spanning from the past to the present and future. On its stage, various scenes, dances and performances will depict the lives of the people of Hà Nội and the nation in different time periods. Áo dài will make its appearance as a symbol of Hà Nội and a national essence that has spread to all corners of the world.

The musical programme Sắc Màu Hà Nội will take place on October 28, featuring songs about Hà Nội in combination with artistic lighting and performances of both traditional and modern áo dài designs by various fashion designers.

There will be exhibition spaces within Hà Nội Áo Dài Tourism Festival 2023 introducing to the public archived photos, áo dài designs by popular brands across the country, and tourism products.

Hanoi Tourism Ao Dai Festival will gather famous áo dài designers from all over the country. — VNS Photo Lương Hương

The most distinctive feature of this year's event is the áo dài street, named Dạo Bước Hồ Gươm (Strolling around Sword Lake). It will recreate a cultural and historical space featuring the capital's thousand-year-old symbols, such as models of craft villages, West Lake lotus, One Pillar Pagoda, Thăng Long Imperial Citadel and Quan Chưởng Gate.

According to the organisers, the street is a special gift of autumn that the event aims to dedicate to áo dài lovers, Hanoians and tourists.

Particularly, over 600 women from many families in Hà Nội in áo dài, and another 100 people in traditional five-flap long dresses will join a massive artistic performance and parade organised by the Hà Nội City Women's Union that takes place on October 28-29.

Other sideline activities include a seminar on the orientation and development of áo dài in the community and tourism connectivity, the musical programme Nhịp Phố (Street Rhythm), áo dài dance performances, and áo dài flashmob dances.

“The Hà Nội Áo Dài Tourism Festival 2023 is among activities to enhance the capital’s tourism image as a safe, friendly, high quality and attractive destination. It promises to be an engaging and distinctive event that attracts a large number of local residents, domestic and international tourists, gradually establishing itself as an annual tourism activity in the capital,” Minh said.

Hà Nội is anticipated to receive 23 million visitors, including an estimated 19 million domestic tourists, a 10 per cent increase compared to 2022. The number of international tourists is expected to reach four million, surpassing the planned target by 1.33 times and marking a 2.66-fold increase compared to 2022.

Since the beginning of this year, the city has been honoured with over 20 titles by various international organisations, including listings as one of the top 25 famous travel destinations and top 20 culinary destinations, as ranked by Trip Advisor, and one of the top 10 most beautiful destinations in Southeast Asia by Canadian magazine The Travel.

Hà Nội has also received the prestigious award for the leading tourist destination in Asia by the World Travel Awards organisation for two consecutive years, 2022 and 2023. VNS