Ho Chi Minh City has launched many tourism programmes and products, to attract more visitors to the city. Prominent among them is the ‘One district, one tourist product’ programme, which encourages each district in the city to build its tourism product based on its available natural and cultural resources.
Visitors join a bicycle tour in the Cu Chi district.
Last year, District 11 introduced a tour entitled 'A different Cho Lon,' offering a new perspective on Cho Lon (Big Market), which is home to the city's largest Chinese community. The tour connects the unique historical and cultural destinations of the district, thus promoting its available tourism potential, that have not yet been effectively unlocked for many years.
The tour was launched by the local Authorities in coordination with Chim Canh Cut (Penguin) Travel Service JSC.
According to Tran Quang Duy, Managing Director of the Chim Canh Cut Travel Service JSC, while mentioning Cho Lon, people often think of the market’s area in District 5.
Khanh Van Nam Vien pagoda, a stop in the 'A different Cho Lon' tour
However, there is a very different Cho Lon in District 11, where tourists can visit Khanh Van Nam Vien pagoda; Thiec Market, a traditional long-time market selling jewellery; Dragon and Lion Dance Troupe; Ha Ton Quyen food street, which is famous for tasty Chinese dumplings; and Phu Binh lantern-marking village.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Department, the ‘One district, one tourist product’ programme became a highlight of the city's tourism sector in 2022. The programme demonstrated the city’s great effort to renovate the hospitality sector in the post-COVID-19 period, promoting Ho Chi Minh Minh city as a must-visit destination for holidaymakers
The programme has not only brought into play the advantages and tourism identity of the city and its districts, but also strengthened linkage among the district and raised a higher sense of responsibility among functional agencies, local authorities, and travel businesses.
Director of the municipal Tourism Department Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa hailed, that the programme created an emulation movement among localities and encouraged close cooperation between sectors. Above all, it has initiated many ways to discover the city, with more than 60 tourism products having been introduced.
A visitors try her hands at making pancakes at the Ao Dai Museum during the tour ‘Thu Duc - The city by the green river’.
Thanks to the ‘One district, one tourist product’ programme, each district in Ho Chi Minh City now has at least one tourism product.
TSTtourist Company has launched many tourism products in districts in Ho Chi Minh City, which have received positive feedback from visitors. The company’s newly introduced tours such as ‘Thu Duc - The city by the green river’, ‘Thu Duc – Tracing the vestiges, ‘Riding scooters to explore the colourful District 3, and ‘Admiring lion dance at Cho Lon’ have attracted great interest from visitors to the city.
Nguyen Minh Man, Marketing-Communication Director of TSTtourist Company, stressed that each tourism product should be designed to provide customers with unique, interesting, meaningful and valuable experiences.
The local authorities must work closely with travel agencies to develop tourism products, which highlight the typical identities of the district.
In the coming time, District 11 will coordinate with neighbouring Districts 5 and 6, to hold joint tourism products exploring the time-honoured history, diverse cuisine, and bustling trading activities of the Chinese community in Ho Chi Minh City.
In the newly launched district tourism products, many units have exploited the unique historical and cultural sites of their localities. With proper investment, these destinations will attract many tourists when coming to the city.
Tran Quang Duy, CEO of the Chim Canh Cut Travel Service JSC, emphasised that a tourism product of a locality must tell its own story since unique and attractive stories will create attraction for tourists, especially foreigners.
In 2023, Ho Chi Minh City targets to welcome 5 million international visitors and 35 million domestic tourists, with a total tourism revenue of 160 trillion VND, thereby gradually establishing Ho Chi Minh City as an attractive, unique and classy destination.
Manh Hao - Translated by NDO