Originally aired on VTV1, Vietnam Television’s national channel, during the prime-time 7 PM news bulletin, this video report shows how young volunteers of the Hanoi Free Private Tour Guide Club are helping to shape the image of Hanoi tourism, one free walking tour at a time.
It starts with a lesson in crossing the street. Anyone who has stood at a Hanoi intersection, watching a river of motorbikes flow past, knows that this is not a small thing.
Audrey Tan Geok Lian, a visitor from Singapore, shares the trick she picked up from her young guide:
“I learned a tip: walk slowly and steadily, like flowing water. Then the vehicles will go around you. It’s a very good method.”
From crossing the road to stories about history, culture and the rhythm of daily life, more than 2,000 young volunteers are guiding international visitors through the capital for free, each in their own personal way.
Learning to Be More Than a Presenter
For these young guides, leading a tour means much more than reciting facts about landmarks.
Pham Van Phuc, a free guide from the Hanoi Free Private Tour Guide Club, explains what the role demands:
“It’s not only about presenting places. We have to learn many other skills too: how to interact and communicate with guests so that they feel satisfied.”
He sees his role in simple terms:
“I think of myself as a friend to visitors in Vietnam, someone who can comfortably share interesting stories with them. This is an environment where young people can make mistakes and learn from them.”
What Visitors Say About Hanoi’s Young Guides
The guests on these tours leave with more than sightseeing memories.
Stefan Markovic, a traveler from Montenegro, was won over by the warmth he met in Hanoi’s markets and street stalls:
“I really like the way people here do business. They are incredibly generous and friendly. They let us taste everything, and it’s fine if we don’t buy.”
Audrey Tan Geok Lian was equally impressed by the volunteers themselves:
“The volunteer guides all have very good knowledge and are very professional. It’s a wonderful effort to spread local culture to international visitors.”
From Visitors to Ambassadors
The report ends on a thought that sums up the spirit of the club: professionalism that inspires, so that every visitor can become an ambassador in turn, carrying the story of Hanoi to friends around the world.
It is the same idea that drives the club’s volunteers every day. Real hospitality is not about numbers. It is about the personal moments that make someone want to come back, or send a friend.
Source: VTV1 – Vietnam Television, 7 PM News (Thời sự 19h), 10/10/2026
Watch the original video report on VTV: [Người trẻ góp phần làm đẹp du lịch thủ đô]
VTV1 is the flagship channel of Vietnam Television, the national broadcaster, and its 7 PM news is one of the most-watched news bulletins in the country.
About the Hanoi Free Private Tour Guide Club
Founded in 2015, the Hanoi Free Private Tour Guide Club (EFIS English) is a volunteer-driven community of over 5,000 young members who offer free, personalized walking tours of Hanoi to international visitors.
Each year, the club welcomes between 6,000 and 12,000 visitors from more than 80 countries, connecting them with Hanoi’s history, culture, and everyday life through the eyes of passionate local guides. To date, more than 150,000 international guests have explored the city’s iconic landmarks, from Hoan Kiem Lake and the Old Quarter to the Temple of Literature and the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, alongside the club’s student volunteers.
For our members, every tour is more than a walk through the city. It is a chance to practice real-world English, deepen their understanding of Vietnamese culture, and grow into confident communicators and future cultural ambassadors.
