HCMC as the country’s tourism hub has plans to strengthen relationship with provinces to enrich tourism products to woo more visitors, especially international guests, said a leader of the municipal government.

Foreign tourists take a stroll on Dong Khoi Street in downtown HCMC - Photo: Dao Loan

Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Hong said here on Wednesday that the city attached importance to diversifying and enriching tourism products for the development of the local hospitality industry. Therefore, the city is working on cooperation plans with other localities to develop inter-provincial tourism routes.

“The city’s tourism has enjoyed strong growth in the past five years with average revenue up 26% per year and international visitors up 15% per year. Diversifying tourism products is considered as one of the keys in maintaining tourism growth,” Hong, head of the steering committee for tourism development of HCMC, said in a ground-breaking ceremony for a hotel on Wednesday.

The city’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism reports that tourism revenue in HCMC in the first half of this year is estimated at VND23 trillion, up 24% year-on-year. International arrivals in HCMC totaled around 1.65 million, up 10% year-on-year.

As a big business hub and an international gateway for foreign visitors, HCMC has a strong advantage to receive international guests but it still lacks natural sites and beautiful beaches for the visitors.

So far, the tourism sector has joined forces with several localities. For instance, HCMC, Lam Dong and Binh Thuan have inked an agreement to link their key tourist destinations.

HCMC has also cut similar deals with partners in the Mekong Delta region.

According to the tourism department, in the second half of this year, the city’s tourism will review the five-year cooperation plan with the Mekong Delta region, as well as the development of the tourism triangle among HCMC, Binh Thuan and Lam Dong to make better activities for cooperation.