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International tourists are becoming increasingly drawn to Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: VNA) |
Of the total 25 million tourist arrivals that the city hosted during January – August, there are nearly 3 million foreigners, up 105.2% year-on-year.
Local tourist sites such as Ben Thanh Market, Sai Gon Central Post Office, and the War Remnants Museum have been favored among the visitors.
Zuzanna Henel and Klaudia Witkowska from Poland said they were impressed by the “Biet dong Saigon” (Saigon Special Task Force) tour developed by Vietluxtour, during which they got a better understanding of Vietnam’s wartime as well as stories about Sai Gon heroes.
Visiting HCMC for the fourth time in ten years, Allan Andersen from Demark said he wants to enjoy walks along the streets as well as local foods such as coffee, pho (noodle soup) and bun bo (noodle with beef).
Everything in the city is reasonably priced, he said, adding locals are friendly and able to communicate in English.
Boasting an array of entertainment activities, sightseeing destinations, and shopping sites, HCMC is also an alluring destination for Chinese visitors. According to Deputy Director of the Municipal Department of Tourism Bui Thi Ngoc Hieu, the city welcomed some 200,000 Chinese tourists in the first eight months of the year.
Over the past time, the city has organized an array of tourism promotion activities to lure more visitors, with the highlight being the 17th International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City 2023 (ITE HCMC 2023) at the beginning of September.
Themed “Connectivity, Growth, Sustainability”, the three-day expo saw the participation of 199 buyers from 42 countries and territories which are Vietnam’s key and potential inbound tourism markets, including Japan, the Republic of Korea, China, Poland, the US, France, Malaysia, and New Zealand.
There were more than 9,000 networking sessions between the exhibitors and buyers at the event.
According to Marketing Director at Vietravel Nguyen Nguyet Van Khanh, many customers flocked to the fair, which was held during the peak tourism season, to buy promotional tours, which is a sign that the city will welcome more visitors this autumn than the previous year.
Director of the Municipal Department of Tourism Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa said in order to attract more visitors, the city will survey the market to develop its tourism brand, while enhancing communications campaigns to popularise its images both locally and internationally.
HCMC is pinning high hope on healthcare and wellness, and waterway tourism offerings, which are seen as a cash cow for the southern hub.
The municipal Department of Tourism has worked with 50 entities, including hospitals, healthcare facilities, spa parlors, travel companies and lodging facilities to create 30 unique packages that combine healthcare with visits to renowned tourist destinations to meet the needs of travelers.
The city is striving to welcome about 500,000 visitors a year to the waterway tourism programs in the 2023-2024 period. This number is expected to increase by 10% in the following years.
