Unlike it’s noisier
neighbors, Vietnam has not always taken full advantage of its night time
economy but that all may be about to change, Việt Nam News reported Friday.
Tourists in, say, Hanoi typically
have a busy day sightseeing and chowing down on the city’s famous delicacies
but are often safely tucked up in bed by midnight.
Now government ministries have been tasked with exploring the night economy in a bid to turbocharge the national GDP. Previously the government had been cautious in encouraging the nation’s nightlife out of security concerns, the report said.
Economist have pointed out that
while tourist numbers are booming, this is not always being matched by similar
increases in spending, due to restraints on nightlife.
Industry insiders have said that most tourism services focus on the business hours between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. but the highest earning services operate between 6 p.m. and 2 a.m. A focus on expanding the nation’s nightlife could boost the economy and ensure that tourist ‘return rates’ increase.
