Ho Chi Minh City led the nation in terms of revenue from tourism in the first half of 2023, with 80.8 trillion VND (3.39 billion USD).
The figure represents a year-on-year rise of 62.7%, and is equivalent to 50.5% of the yearly target.
According to the municipal Department of Tourism, in the January-June period, the country's biggest metropolis served over 1.9 million foreign tourists, up 306% year-on-year, but equal to only 38.8% of the yearly target.
The city is organising a wide range of activities, with an aim to attract more tourists, especially foreigners, to increase the revenue.
Notably, in early August, a river festival was held in the city for the first time, with a series of cultural and entertainment activities related to its waterways for locals and tourists.
The three-day festival aimed at preserving and promoting the city’s culture and history, and make use of its waterways to boost the economy and tourism in order to build the city’s brand as a culturally rich riverside urban area.
Recently, the municipal People’s Committee also issued a plan for the development of waterway tourism products in the 2023-2025 period. By 2025, it aims to develop at least 10 waterway tours and waterway tour programmes linking seaports and river routes.
The number of international cruise ship tourists arriving in the city will be 100,000 in 2023 and 2024, and rise 12-15% in the following years.
In the 2023-24 period, the city’s cruise industry is expected to hit 500 billion VND (21 million USD) per year in revenue, and increase by 12% in the following years.
