Ho Chi Minh City is projected to welcome a total of about 75,000 foreign tourists during the week-long Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday starting last Thursday, a surge of 15.4 percent year on year, marking a tourism rebound, the city’s tourism authorities forecast on Monday.

The surge in the number of international travelers will boost the city’s tourism revenue in the period to over VND6.55 trillion (US$268.42 million), up 4 percent against last year, the municipal Department of Tourism said.

Tourist sites and entertainment facilities are expected to attract about 1.8 million arrivals of visitors, a 5.9 percent increase over the same period of last year, reflecting a success of local travel and service firms in building and developing inner-city tourism products. 

Prominent among the foreign visitors to the city over the past days were those who arrived on board high-end cruise ships from Europe, the U.S., Australia, and Japan, among others, in addition to self-guided travelers.

All these positive signs are seen as a promising start for a stronger recovery of the local tourism sector in 2024, the agency commented. 

The government’s open policies on visas and entry procedures have created favorable conditions for drawing more international tourists to Vietnam, greatly contributing to boost the city’s tourism revenue.

A lot of attractive and diverse activities to celebrate Tet, including Lunar New Year’s Eve parties, firework displays and lion dances, conducted at famous tourist destinations, three- to five- star hotels, and restaurants have also played an important role in the good results of the city’s tourism sector. 

In addition, many shopping centers and eateries have applied discounts of 15-20 percent, bringing satisfaction to visitors and encouraging them to pay more on their trips.

“Attractive festive activities during the Tet holiday have offered opportunities for international visitors to enjoy memorable experiences in terms of culture and gastronomy during their stay in the city,” a representative of the department said.

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