This image shows the opening ceremony of the 18th Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Festival press conference in Ho Chi Minh City, May 5, 2022. Photo: Nhu Binh / Tuoi Tre
The Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Festival 2022 will take place from May 14 to 17 at Le Van Tam Park in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City.
At a press conference on Thursday, Le Truong Hien Hoa, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, stated that more than 100 tourism agencies from more than 50 provinces of Vietnam have registered to participate in the festival.
These localities all have tourism products linked with Ho Chi Minh City, thus this is an opportunity to engage customers again after the enormous two-year impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, while also boosting tourism development relations with other regions in the future.
Localities are expected to hold their own tourism promotion sessions.
For the first time, Ho Chi Minh City will also host a survey of typical city products for enterprises from 50 provinces and cities.
Returning to the organization in person after a year, the festival's activities for engaging and interacting with others are likewise more targeted, with numerous check-in locations, minishows, and appealing prizes.
Despite being an annual event of the city's tourism industry, this year's fest is held in the context of the country's jubilant organization of the 31st Southeast Asian (SEA) Games so city authorities see this as an opportunity to stimulate domestic tourism.
During the holidays between April 30 and May 3, Ho Chi Minh City's tourism industry generated more than VND1,600 billion (US$69.7 million) in revenue.
The estimated number of lodging guests was 95,000 and the hotel occupancy rate was between 65 and 70 percent.
According to deputy director Hoa, Ho Chi Minh City's tourism has experienced a remarkable resurgence.
The positive revenue also indicates that tourists are responding positively to the city's new tourism offerings.
"The city's goal is to improve service value and visitor expenditure, while continuously enhancing service quality," Hoa said.
Attractions offering discounts through May 18:
1. Free admission to Dam Sen Cultural Park, or 50 percent off all-inclusive tickets.
2. Dam Sen Water Park tickets cost VND160,000-200,000 ($7-8.7) per person.
3. Suoi Tien Theme Park: Free admission for children under 1.4 meters tall when accompanied by an adult; free entrance tickets for frontline forces in the COVID-19 battle (including doctors, nurses, police forces, and the military); 50 percent off combos for children and adults; group tours: 30 percent discounts for groups of 20 or more.
4. Groups of 10 or more are eligible for a 10 percent discount on tickets for sightseeing and entertainment services at Cu Chi Tunnels.
5. Rung Sac Revolutionary Base: 10 percent discounts on tour tickets for groups of 10 or more and 10 percent off speedboat services for groups of 20 or more.
6. The Ho Chi Minh City Museum offers a 20 percent discount on tour tickets for groups of 20 or more individuals.
7. Fito Museum: 20 percent discounts on ticket prices for groups of 20 people, adults: VND96,000 ($4); children under 1.2 meters tall: VND48,000 ($2); 10 percent off ticket prices for groups of 10 people, adults: VND108,000 ($4.7); children under 1.2 meters tall: VND54,000 ($2.35).
8. Ao dai Museum: Five percent off admission for groups of ten or more, and 10 percent off tickets for parties of 30 or more.
9. Admission to the Ho Chi Minh City Museum of History is discounted by 20 percent.
New tourism products in Ho Chi Minh City:
1. Sightseeing from above by taking flights on tourist helicopters.
2. The Photo Viet Company offers a 45 percent discount on Hop-on, Hop-off double-decker bus tours around the city.
3. City Sightseeing Saigon organizes a four-hour double-decker bus tour of the city's top ten tourist attractions for VND104,000 ($4.5) per person.
4. Cruises on the city canal for VND250,000 ($11) per person, organized by Nhieu Loc Boat.
5. Ben Thanh Visitor organizes stand-up paddle boarding - Surfing the Saigon River for fees starting at VND650,000 ($28) per tourist.
6. ‘Biet Dong Sai Gon’ (Saigon Rangers) tour with the price starting at VND349,000 ($15) per tourist organized by Saigontourist, Fiditour Travel, Sacotour, Chim Canh Cut Travel Service, and HNH Travel.
7. Can Gio - Thanh An Island: The green jewel of the city, organized by Kiwi Travel at a 25 percent discount.
8. TST Tourist offers a discount of VND100,000 ($4.3) to each visitor to Thu Duc City.
9. Vietravel organizes a Can Gio green voyage by speedboat for a reduced price of VND200,000 ($8.7) each tourist.
10. Saigon Tourist organizes an interregional tour to Ho Chi Minh City and Tay Ninh with a 15 percent discount.