Hanoi spends $2 million on CNN ads to promote tourism, investment

By VnExpress November 28, 2016 | 11:00 am PT

A street barber services a customer at a park in downtown Hanoi. Photo by AFP

The capital city will launch its advertising campaign over the next two years.

Hanoi has concluded negotiations with CNN, America's major news network, to air ads in a bid to promote the city as a tourism and investment destination.

Its mayor Nguyen Duc Chung confirmed that the two-year campaign will start its run on January 1.

“We have been in talks since August before reaching the final decision that the city will spend $2 million on the campaign,” Chung said.

The ads will help attract more global investors, who will fuel the city's economic growth, he said.

Hanoi’s economy is expected to expand 8 percent this year. Foreign direct investment inflows into the city have nearly tripled to $2.8 billion so far this year, officials said.

The new marketing drive will also help Hanoi boost tourism. The city is well on track to receive around 3.8 million foreign visitors, according to the city’s tourism department.

Annual tourism revenues are expected to increase by 8.1 percent to about VND60 trillion ($2.6 billion) this year.

Hanoi has been listed by Lonely Planet among the top 10 best-value destinations for 2016.

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