Unlocking Hanoi's LGBTIQ+ tourism potential : a supply-side and stakeholder analysis

The niche LGBTIQ tourism is a high-spending segment in the global tourism market, opening new opportunities for welcoming destinations that possess existing LGBTIQ-related resources, such as Hanoi. However, LGBTIQ tourism in Hanoi is still underrecognized, understudied, and seriously lacks a tool for potential assessment. This research aims to assess Hanoi’s potential for LGBTIQ tourism development, utilizing three main pillars: Resource Availability, Demand Alignment, and Stakeholder Potential. The objective is to gain a comprehensive understanding of the strengths and weaknesses of this tourism landscape and provide recommendations for systematic development. Through interviewing seven key supply-side stakeholders in the field, this research concludes that Hanoi indeed possesses the potential to develop LGBTIQ tourism, albeit at a Medium level, hindered by a lack of awareness and the public sector’s willingness. The research also highlights Hanoi’s unique queer cultural resources and identifies the city's LGBTIQ tourism unique selling points, synthesizing 10 strategic recommendations from key stakeholders. This study provides a detailed picture of LGBTIQ tourism in Hanoi for future actions. It also introduced the Hanoi LGBTIQ Tourism Development Potential Index, a theoretical framework designed to assess the potential of destinations for LGBTIQ tourism development.