Ho Chi Minh City set a target of welcoming six million international visitors and earning VND190 trillion (US$7.8 billion) in tourism revenue this year, heard a conference held on Wednesday to review the city’s 2023 tourism performance and discuss a plan for 2024.

The projected figure is equal to 70 percent of pre-COVID international tourist arrivals in the city in a year.

To lure travelers, the city has plans to roll out a wide range of festivals and tourism activities that will be distinctive and beguiling.

Le Truong Hien Hoa, deputy director of the municipal Department of Tourism, told the conference that the city topped the list of all 63 localities which contributed to Vietnam’s tourism sector in 2023 in terms of both the number of arrivals and tourism revenue.

Ho Chi Minh City welcomed nearly five million international visitors and served 35 million domestic travelers last year. 

Its tourism revenue in 2023 amounted to over VND160 trillion ($6.5 billion).

The municipal tourism agency has announced that it will target both mid- and high-end tourists with 50 tourism products this year.

Nguyen Trung Khanh, head of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, lauded Ho Chi Minh City as a pillar of the country’s tourism recovery and growth.

Khanh also encouraged the city to promote its tourism potential and continue launching more captivating tourism products and services.

The city should accelerate digitalization to spur tourism development and cement its position and role in tourism connectivity in the southeastern region in particular and in Vietnam in general, he said.

Nguyen Van Dung, vice-chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City administration, emphasized that the municipal tourism department should step up efforts to complete the city’s tourism development strategy until 2030 with a vision toward 2045.

A representative of Chim Canh Cut Travel Service JSC told the conference that local and international visitors had yet to access a series of unique tourism products and services although the city rolled them out last year.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter to get the latest news about Vietnam!