The Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Department is the main organization driving the tourism industry, maintaining its position as a major tourist hub of the country and the forefront of Vietnam’s tourism sector.

On the occasion of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Department (August 25, 1993 – August 25, 2023), Director of the National Tourism Administration, Nguyen Trung Khanh, affirmed: Over the past 30 years, the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Department has consistently asserted its role and position in the development of Vietnam’s tourism industry; it is the leading entity contributing to the preservation and promotion of the cultural and historical values of the city, and it is instrumental in maintaining the city’s status as a major tourism center of the country and the pioneer of the tourism industry.

Numerous tourism activities and festivals have become distinct trademarks of the city, such as Tourism Day, International Travel Expo, Tourism Week, Ao Dai Festival, attracting the attention of both domestic and international tourists.

Speaking at the ceremony, Mr. Duong Anh Duc, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, stated that during the challenging times of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Department has been at the forefront, leading in innovation and exploring multiple new and effective solutions to overcome challenges with the spirit of turning adversity into opportunity.

After about a year and a half of reopening tourism, the domestic tourism market has fully recovered and experienced growth compared to the pre-pandemic year of 2019, with an increase of 11%. The total tourism revenue has also shown a growth rate of 10.3% compared to the year 2019. The Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Department was recognized with the award for the ‘Leading Tourism Management Agency in Asia’ by the World Tourism Organization in 2022.

Stepping beyond its 30th year, the city’s leadership believes that in the upcoming journey, tourism will genuinely evolve into a premier vibrant travel destination in Asia, as outlined by the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Development Strategy until 2030,” Mr. Duc stated.

Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Department, expressed that with the spirit of “reflecting to advance further,” in the coming period, the department will persistently innovate, create, dare to think and act to leverage the values that previous generations have built. Simultaneously, it aims to establish Ho Chi Minh City as an attractive and highly competitive tourist destination in the region, contributing to affirming the Vietnamese tourism brand, and building a modern, cultured, and compassionate city.

During recent times, the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Department has been collaborating with districts, towns, and Thu Duc City to develop distinctive products under the program ‘Each district, town should have at least one distinctive product.’ With Can Gio district, the department partnered with the Institute for Tourism Research and Economic Development to develop a community-based tourism model in the Thieng Lieng island hamlet.

Especially, in early August, the first-ever Ho Chi Minh City Water Festival was successfully organized, creating a highly positive impact on both tourists and city residents. A notable highlight was the ‘River Tells Stories’ art program, which featured the participation of over 6,000 spectators, 700 performers, and modern technology-driven performances.

Source: Phap Luat Newspaper