Hanoi (VNA) - The Hanoi Tourism Association has beenworking to promote a smoke-free environment in restaurants, hotels and tourismspots in the capital city.

The initiative is meaningful as it adds to the sector’s effort to protect sceneryin the city’s attractions while creating a clean and attractive tourismenvironment for tourists.

At a conference held recently, travel agencies agreed upon measures to developa smoke-free tourism environment such as no purchasing and advertising tobaccounder any form.

They also committed to regularly advise tourists not to smoke in non-smokingareas.

“We support the initiative inpromoting a smoke-free tourism environment as up to 80 percent of tourists donot smoke,” said Trinh Thi My Nghe,Deputy Chairwoman of the Hanoi Tourism Association.

Meanwhile, Nguyen Trung Quan, Director of Avitour Company pointed out that itwill be a very difficult task.

“Through many ways, I will try to consult, advise, and talk with tourists andask them not to smoke in tourism spots,” he said.

Travel agencies and hotels at the event have signed anagreement to abide by the Law on Tobacco harm Prevention, aiming to developsmoke-free unit model.

As of the end of September 2018, Hanoi welcomed nearly 20 million tourists,including 4.45 million foreigners.

Most of the foreign holidaymakers to the city comefrom Asia countries, particularly the Republic of Korea and Japan, as well asthose in Europe such as the UK, France, Germany and Norway, among others.-VNA