Lao Dong's records show that many international tourist groups and domestic tourists recently tend to look for and book tickets to watch water puppetry, ca tru, cheo, and tuong as an indispensable "spiritual dish" on their journey to explore the Capital.
Representatives of travel companies also pointed out the trend that, instead of just visiting relics, domestic and foreign tourists are increasingly interested in interactive and in-depth local cultural experiences that reflect the spiritual life of Vietnamese people.
Mr. Tran Manh Quang (36 years old, tour guide in Hanoi) informed that about a week after the Lunar New Year, groups of Chinese and Japanese tourists when booking a trip often want to have more local entertainment in the evening.
Also according to Mr. Quang, tourism products in Hanoi are quite diverse, besides visiting historical sites at night, many theaters and opera houses have recently continuously had dedicated investment plays to attract tourists.
Many tourist groups not only travel to take photos, they also want to feel Vietnamese culture through music, traditional stages such as water puppetry, Cheo, Tuong. This is also one of the activities that many tourist groups have responded positively to after experiencing" - Mr. Quang said.
Booking tickets to watch water puppetry when coming to Hanoi, Ms. Le Minh Nguyet (Ho Chi Minh City) said that after finding information on social networks, she also booked tickets for her child to watch on the weekend evening.
Ms. Nguyet said that in about 1 hour of watching the performance, many folk stories and images of rural life are vividly recreated. This is a way for many parents like Ms. Nguyet to let their children access folk culture, instead of going to the cinema or watching cartoons at home as usual.
Hanoi Department of Tourism informed that in February 2026, Hanoi tourism recorded impressive growth in both visitor volume and revenue, creating a foundation for the industry to enter March with a focus on perfecting institutions and developing new products.
It is estimated that in February 2026, Hanoi welcomed 3.18 million visitors, an increase of 28.5% compared to the same period in 2025.Of which, international visitors increased by 16.2%; domestic visitors increased by 32.3%.Total revenue from tourists is estimated at 12.39 trillion VND.Average room occupancy rate of hotels reached 63.6%, an increase of 1.3 percentage points compared to the same period.
Notably, in February 2026, Hanoi's tourism industry also recorded a series of exciting promotion and advertising activities.The program "Hanoi Tourism Welcomes 2026 - Get on Hanoi 2026" taking place from January 30 to February 1, 2026 opened a new tourism year with the message of green and sustainable development, introducing more than 80 unique experiences.
