City loses tourists but gains revenue

The southern hub of HCM City experienced a decline in foreign visitors in the first five months of this year, while the tourism sector as a whole enjoyed an increase in total revenue.

According to the HCM City Culture, Sport and Tourism Department (CSTD), the city welcomed 1.18 million foreign visitors, a 9 per cent decrease from the same period last year.

However, the city earned a total revenue of VND13.47 trillion (US$757.6 million) from tourism between the first month of the year through May, a 12 per cent increase from the same period last year, said Huynh Cong Minh Truong, deputy head of the department.

Looking at these figures, city authorities expressed belief in the city’s great tourism potential, said Nguyen Thi Hong, deputy chairwoman of the HCM City People’s Committee.

Hong said the city’s current stimulus solutions for the tourism sector would bring optimistic business results to the city’s tourism sector in the near future.

The municipal CSTD had focused on implementing tourism development projects in the city and also on human resources training for the tourism sector, said Truong.

Many tour agencies of the city have enhanced their promotions for domestic travels and tours to foreign countries.

To offset the lag in foreign visitors from traditional markets, Vietravel expanded its business to other countries to maintain its revenue stream, the company said.

The company developed a promotion programme for visitors to travel throughout the country with a variety of cheap tours and other offers.

Saigontourist perked up its offerings with 200 tours to domestic and foreign locations this summer, including many tours with preferential costs for elderly people, families and tourists travelling with delegations.

Vietnam Airlines offered some domestic fares at a 50-per cent discount to domestic tour agencies that joined the Government’s stimulus programme for the tourism sector.

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