The statement was made at a press conference to provide updates on the city's socio-economic situation, which was organized by the Propaganda and Mass Mobilization Commission of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee on July 9.
Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Management Center of Public Transport, Le Hoan, said that after seven days of implementing the city's 100 percent bus fare subsidy program for all 134 operating bus routes (since July 1), the total number of passenger trips reached approximately 1.88 million, up 33 percent compared with the same period in 2025. Passenger growth was concentrated on urban routes, services linking the city center with surrounding areas, and routes serving large numbers of students and workers.
According to him, the encouraging results provide an important foundation for Ho Chi Minh City to continue implementing measures to develop a synchronized and modern public transport system while strengthening connectivity between buses and other modes of public transportation, including the metro, water buses, and public bicycle-sharing services.
However, the Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Management Center of Public Transport noted that many residents have yet to make buses their regular mode of transport due to their long-standing reliance on private vehicles and the relatively longer travel times associated with public transportation. In addition, buses currently lack dedicated lanes on most roads and are therefore affected by traffic congestion.
In the coming time, the Public Transport Management Center will continue working with relevant agencies to study the introduction of dedicated bus lanes on roads that meet the necessary conditions. The center also plans to optimize bus schedules and adjust service frequencies based on actual demand while enhancing connectivity between buses, the metro, public bicycle-sharing services, and other transport modes to reduce access time and improve the overall passenger experience.
The Public Transport Management Center has recently implemented a wide range of coordinated measures to upgrade Ho Chi Minh City's bus infrastructure, helping improve service quality for passengers while promoting a modern, well-organized public transport system.
To date, all 1,030 bus shelters and 3,978 bus stops across the city have been inspected, maintained, and repaired in accordance with the maintenance plan, significantly improving passenger facilities as well as the urban landscape at boarding and alighting points.
At the press conference, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism submitted a report outlining the city's tourism performance during the first half of 2026. According to the report, the city's tourism sector maintained strong growth momentum, reinforcing Ho Chi Minh City's position as Vietnam's leading tourism hub.
International arrivals to Ho Chi Minh City were estimated at nearly 6.4 million, fulfilling 58.1 percent of the city's annual target, while domestic visitors were estimated at more than 27.3 million, equivalent to 54.6 percent of the full-year goal.
Total tourism revenue was estimated at VND 213.98 trillion (US$8.14 billion), achieving 64.8 percent of the annual target.
The tourism sector continued to be one of the city's fastest-growing service industries, making significant contributions to the expansion of trade, services, transportation, accommodation, food and beverage services, and other related economic sectors.
