Tourists cycle in HCMC's Binh Chanh outlying district
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Statistics Office, in the first six months of 2022, approximately 478,000 international visitors came to the southern metropolis, an increase of 100 percent over the same period in 2021, reaching 13.7 percent of the 2022 plan.
Domestic tourists reached over 11 million turns, up 43 percent over the same period. These impressive numbers are showing that people's demand for travel and desire to experience increased sharply right after the Covid-19 epidemic was gradually controlled.
During this peak-travel season, tourists are returning with a vengeance. Travel companies have more tourist products to ensure traveler satisfaction.
At Suoi Tien Cultural Tourist Area in Thu Duc City, this peak-travel summer welcomed a skyrocketing number of travelers. Ms. Bui Thi Tu Trinh, Deputy General Director of Suoi Tien Cultural Tourist Area, said that in the past two years of the Covid-19 epidemic, the unit lost nearly VND 100 billion, but still trying to change and renew the destination to attract customers, gradually increase revenue.
Tens of thousands of new trees have been planted; plus, it has a model of a dwarf coconut farm and fruit trees with varieties of pomegranates, grapes, and figs imported from India, America, and starting to bear fruit.
The entire system of greenhouses and automatic irrigation at the farm uses technology from Israel and grows plants according to Japanese organic methods. Ms. Mai Thi Tu Linh in District 3 had a surprise for the new look of the Suoi Tien Cultural Tourist Area. Her children are delighted at learning the process of growing trees and enjoy ripe berries picked directly in the garden.
Ms. Tu Trinh revealed that groups of students in Ho Chi Minh City or individual groups from neighboring provinces and cities visit Suoi Tien Cultural Tourist Area on weekends. It averagely welcomes 5,000-10,000 visitors every day and from the beginning of 2022 to now reached about one million visitors.
According to Mr. Nguyen Minh Man, Director of Communication - Marketing of TSTtourist Company, as the worst effects of the Covid-19 pandemic ebb, travel businesses are prepared to welcome visitors.
In the first six months of 2022, TSTtourist achieved total revenue of nearly VND80 billion, welcoming more than 12,000 visitors, of which more than 10,000 domestic tourists plus thousands of tourists in Ho Chi Minh City.
It is estimated that the revenue for the year 2022 is estimated at VND200 billion (US$8,5 million). In the coming time, businesses recommend that the tourism sector continue to open more meetings to raise tourism awareness for leaders of districts in the southern largest city with the hope to create a strong breakthrough for the city’s tourism.
Ms. Doan Thi Thanh Tra, Director of Marketing - Communication and Travel Saigontourist said that the unit is deeply exploiting the product groups of Ho Chi Minh City, typically the ‘I love Saigon’ tour including ‘Rong ca Sai Gon chieu thu bay’ (Songs in Saigon on Saturday evening), tour ‘Biet dong Sai Gon’ ( Saigon Special Forces) and ‘Sai Gon di san ngan nam’ (Saigon thousand years of heritage). Before the Covid-19 epidemic, these tours mainly attracted international visitors, but now the unit has simultaneously exploited both international and domestic tourists.
Visitors from other provinces to Ho Chi Minh City are excited about the tours. In addition, river bus products combined with Ho Chi Minh City culinary experiences are also welcome. Especially, when Saigontourist offers products to international partners, they have had a good response. Ms. Doan Thi Thanh Tra emphasized that from now until the end of 2022, the company will promote the I love Saigon tour more widely to international guests, especially cruise passengers.
According to the Saigon Tourism Corporation (Saigontourist Group), hotels and restaurants under its affiliated restaurants are having a series of incentives for guests to come and have fun in order to stimulate tourism. For example, the 5-star Rex Saigon hotel offers a 45 percent discount on the published price for guests booking through online channels and direct distribution channels on the hotel website meanwhile Grand Saigon introduces the ‘Saigon Experience Package’ with the price of VND2,299 million for two guests, including one night of room, breakfast, lunch or dinner with one dish from the menu local cuisine specialties with drinks. Kim Do Hotel also offers a room rate of VND1.4 million including breakfast, in addition to a breakfast voucher for guests staying three consecutive nights.
Ms. Huynh Phan Phuong Hoang, Deputy General Director of Vietravel Company, shared that from now to August, Vietravel will launch many summer promotions with the orientation to exploit young customers who book tours on e-commerce applications.
Similarly, a representative of Penguin Travel Services Company informed that during the past two years, the unit has focused on health tourism products.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, over 70 percent of travel businesses have returned to the market. Every month, about 20 businesses apply for a new travel business license. Particularly in May and June 2022, no business license has been withdrawn. Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism assessed that tourism activities in Ho Chi Minh City as well as tourism stimulus programs associated with the development of new products have been effective.
