Vietnam Aims To Build A Thriving Night-time Economy Through Pedestrian Streets In Hanoi, But Many Zones Remain Dark, Empty, And Underused

Thursday, July 31, 2025

Vietnam’s long-standing effort to heighten its tourism entreaty and stimulate nan night-time system done nan description of pedestrian-only streets successful Hanoi is now facing increasing scrutiny, arsenic respective recently launched stepping zones—particularly Ngoc Ngu Xa—struggle pinch mediocre ft traffic, early business closures, dim lighting, and a deficiency of engaging taste activities. While areas for illustration Hoan Kiem Lake and nan Old Quarter proceed to flourish arsenic vibrant nationalist spaces filled pinch tourists, performances, and bustling thoroughfare food, different parts of nan metropolis show signs of stagnation and underutilization. These mixed results person raised concerns astir nan planning, sustainability, and semipermanent effect of Vietnam’s stepping thoroughfare model, prompting calls for a much targeted and community-centered attack to guarantee that specified municipality initiatives genuinely use some section residents and nan broader tourism economy.

Hanoi’s Expanded Walking Streets Reveal Uneven Success arsenic Visitor Numbers and Business Activity Decline successful Key Areas

Walking streets successful Hanoi were erstwhile seen arsenic a awesome of invention and taste vibrancy, transforming prime areas of nan superior into lively night-time hubs. These zones were designed not only to stimulate section tourism but besides to energize Hanoi’s nighttime system by creating spaces for entertainment, thoroughfare food, organization events, and mini businesses. However, arsenic Hanoi expanded nan stepping thoroughfare exemplary into caller districts, nan outcomes person turned retired to beryllium inconsistent. Some areas are thriving, but others are facing debased footfall, mediocre lighting, and constricted business engagement.

One specified illustration is nan Ngoc Ngu Xa Walking Street located successful Ba Dinh District, wherever caller observations propose a noticeable driblet successful visitant activity, moreover during traditionally engaged hours. Around 9 p.m. connected a Saturday—widely considered nan highest clip for stepping streets—the area remains unusually quiet. A important number of shops and backstage residences are already closed by this time, and galore of nan streetlights are turned off, casting a dark, quiet reside crossed sections of nan route. Certain stretches look astir deserted, pinch only a fewer individuals passing by astatine sporadic intervals.

The Ngoc Ngu Xa pedestrian area was planned to see Ngu Xa and Nguyen Khac Hieu Streets, supplemented by broadside roads for illustration Nam Trang, Lac Chinh, and Tran Te Xuong. Despite this wide layout, moreover nan cardinal segments of nan stepping thoroughfare show anemic performance. Business activity is minimal. A fewer eateries, specified arsenic nan well-known pho cuon restaurants Huong Mai and Pho Cuon 31, negociate to tie a dependable trickle of customers. But beyond these exceptions, astir cafés and nutrient vendors beryllium idle. A conception designed arsenic a nostalgic taste zone—meant to recreate nan ambiance of Vietnam’s subsidy-era economy—is poorly lit and sees almost nary engagement, contempt being created to pull visitors and locals alike.

This opposition betwixt volition and result is not isolated. It reflects broader challenges wrong Hanoi’s stepping thoroughfare strategy. The stepping thoroughfare conception was first introduced complete 20 years ago, pinch nan motorboat of a pedestrian corridor successful nan Old Quarter, stretching from Hang Dao Street to Dong Xuan Market. This first effort quickly became popular, praised for reviving nan historical halfway and offering an inviting mounting for evening entertainment. Encouraged by this early success, metropolis planners gradually rolled retired further stepping zones crossed nan capital.

Today, Hanoi has established nine charismatic stepping streets, but their effectiveness is acold from uniform. Several halfway zones stay consistently successful. Areas surrounding Hoan Kiem Lake, for example, proceed to flourish arsenic premier nightlife and tourism spots. Likewise, nan extended pedestrian corridors successful nan Old Quarter, including nan Hang Dao–Dong Xuan way and its planned extensions, stay densely packed connected weekends, pinch thoroughfare performances, open-air markets, and bustling eating options. The Son Tay Citadel stepping area, located successful Son Tay Town, besides maintains a beardown section pursuing and draws taste tourism pinch humanities reenactments and practice programming.

These occurrence stories, however, are not nan modular crossed each zones. The lawsuit of Ngoc Ngu Xa highlights what tin hap erstwhile pedestrian zones are introduced without nan basal support infrastructure aliases sustained engagement. Local business owners person voiced concerns complete inconsistent visitant postulation and a deficiency of arena programming, which they opportunity discourages them from staying unfastened during stepping hours. The absence of effective lighting, mediocre signage, and constricted promotion person besides been identified arsenic reasons down nan area’s lackluster performance.

Moreover, not each areas designated arsenic pedestrian streets stock nan aforesaid strategical advantages. While Hoan Kiem and nan Old Quarter are earthy taste magnets pinch humanities value and established tourism flows, different locations for illustration Ngoc Ngu Xa are still successful nan process of processing an identity. Without robust programming, organization collaboration, and tourism marketing, it becomes difficult for specified areas to prolong footfall complete time.

The problem isn’t conscionable astir aesthetics aliases business hours—it besides touches connected larger questions of readying and municipality integration. Walking streets require much than beingness redesign. For them to thrive, they request to beryllium embedded wrong a broad municipality experience, offering residents and visitors taste activities, safety, accessibility, and accordant engagement.

Some experts person suggested that Hanoi should reevaluate really stepping streets are expanded. Instead of simply multiplying locations, nan attraction could displacement toward deepening nan value and sustainability of existing zones. This includes much progressive coordination pinch section vendors, taste organizations, and territory authorities to guarantee nan abstraction remains vibrant agelong aft its launch.

The metropolis has already seen what works. The Hoan Kiem pedestrian area thrives not conscionable because it’s successful nan bosom of nan city, but because it’s been paired pinch regular taste events, capacity spaces, and ample nutrient and beverage options. Replicating this model—while adapting it to nan unsocial characteristics of each neighborhood—could beryllium cardinal to achieving broader success.

Vietnam’s expanded stepping thoroughfare inaugural successful Hanoi was meant to boost tourism and nan nighttime economy, but uneven results successful areas for illustration Ngoc Ngu Xa are exposing superior readying and engagement gaps. While halfway zones thrive, newer streets look debased turnout, dim lighting, and business closures.

As Hanoi continues to modernize and turn arsenic a world tourism destination, stepping streets will stay an important constituent of its municipality improvement strategy. However, their early effect will dangle connected really good nan metropolis learns from past experiences and tailors its approach. Uniform description whitethorn not beryllium enough. A much targeted, people-centered exemplary that places adjacent weight connected taste programming, business support, and visitant acquisition whitethorn yet beryllium nan measurement forward.