Hanoi in autumn.

TV commercials aired by CNN have been introducing the best of the 1,000-year-old capital to people around the world since early last year, sparking an interest in the city among foreigners.

A recent survey by the UK’s research consultancy firm, BDRC Continental, showed 62 percent of CNN viewers remember the promotional videos. Among them, 94 percent said they developed an interest in Hanoi as a holiday destination. The survey also found that 17 percent of the respondents who regularly watched CNN would be likely to travel to Hanoi, higher than non-regular viewers.

Last year, CNN broadcast two promotional videos: “Hanoi – Heart of Vietnam” and “Hanoi – Cradle of Heritage” on its cable television network and online platforms across Asia-Pacific, North America, Europe, the Middle East and South Asia. This year, the videos will continue to be aired by CNN alongside the newly-released ad “Hanoi – History, Culture, People”.

Hoan Kiem lake in the heart of Vietnam's capital city, Hanoi.

In the first half of this year, the capital received more than 3 million foreign arrivals, up 26 percent year-on-year. The online marketplace and hospitality service Airbnb has named Hanoi among the world’s top 10 intriguing travel destinations in 2018, while the city made it to the list of the world’s top 13 destinations for international travelers in March, based on a poll by readers of the US-based Business Insider magazine. Earlier this year, Hanoi secured 12th place on the TripAdvisor list of the world’s top 25 destinations.