Many experts have suggested revitalizing both Ben Thanh Market in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City and the surrounding area to make it a leading destination for tourists, following a proposal to revamp the market.

Dr. Duong Duc Minh, deputy head of the Institute for Tourism and Economic Development Research, said the market is not only a venue for trade but also a symbol of Ho Chi Minh City.

The city has had plans on tourism development and the renovation of Ben Thanh Market should be considered an investment in the local tourism and economic growth, Minh suggested.

The city should connect Le Loi Boulevard to Ben Thanh Market, Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street, and metro lines to provide visitors with uninterrupted experiences.

Moreover, the city should design more spaces for OCOP (One Commune One Product) products and local specialties at Ben Thanh.

It is needed to develop a database of products and improve online sales so that foreigners can still buy the products from the marketplace after returning to their countries, Minh added.

An expert in the architecture sector agreed that with its historical and geographical values, Ben Thanh and the downtown area will soon become a leading check-in hotspot in Vietnam.

Therefore, the market should be considered a tourist site rather than a traditional market.

Once the city attracts many international tourists, it can develop lodging, shopping, and catering services.

The city should call on residents in the market area to repaint their houses and use signboards with a consistent model, the expert proposed.

Meanwhile, traders suggested the city support them to repair stalls, using the local coffers.

Nguyen H., the owner of a fashion stall at Ben Thanh Market, said it already deteriorated, so traders have to suffer the hot weather during the dry season and floods during the rainy season.

“The wastewater drainage system fails to meet the demand. Therefore, the market should be repaired and upgraded as soon as possible,” H. noted.

Many vendors have reported a modest number of customers over the past few months.

“Business is tough, while I am hiring a stall at VND100,000 [US$4.1] per day, with many taxes and fees not taken into account. As a result, we can only contribute modestly to the renovation,” H. said.

N.T.V., another vendor at Ben Thanh Market, said customers’ purchasing power is currently equal to half of that in previous years, so many stalls remain closed.

Therefore, the city should have policies to support the market’s repair as it is a tourist site and an icon, V. noted. 

A representative of the market management board told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that Ben Thanh has more than 1,400 vendors and some 1,500 stalls.

However, only 1,100 vendors are operating at the venue due to the small number of customers.

“Ben Thanh used to be a central market with a huge volume of goods but it is mainly serving tourism purposes. Vendors’ revenue is not as high as earlier.”

The administration in District 1, where Ben Thanh Market is located, proposed revitalizing the iconic marketplace, including replacing its current tile effect roofing sheets with roof tiles, which needs some VND95 billion ($3.9 million).

An additional VND45 billion ($1.8 million) will be sourced for the renovation of the wastewater drainage, electricity supply, and fire prevention and fighting systems, as well as the repair of the 10,000-square-meter floor.

Ben Thanh Market was built from 1912 to 1914 on an area of 13,000 square meters. It was last renovated in 1985.

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