HCM City eyes 10% rise in waterway tourism revenue

Your browser does not support the audio element. HCM City’s waterway tourism is expected to earn VNĐ 三00 billion (US$ 一 二. 六 million) per year this year and next year, and increase  一0 per cent in the following years. The HCM City first-ever river festival held from August  四 to  六 offered many cultural and entertainment activities related to the city’s waterways for locals and tourists. — VNA/VNS Photo Mỹ Phương

HCM CITY — HCM City’s waterway tourism is expected to earn VNĐ 三00 billion (US$ 一 二. 六 million) per year this year and next year, and increase  一0 per cent in the following years.

The municipal People’s Co妹妹ittee has issued a plan for the development of waterway tourism products in the  二0 二 三- 二 五 period.

The city’s waterway tourism has great natural advantages for strong development thanks to its system of rivers and canals with scenic views. Waterway tours are considered as one of the city’s new tourism products that are expected to provide new, attractive experiences to visitors.

Under the plan, the city plans to launch waterway tourism products in all inland routes on all rivers in the city, and inter-provincial routes connecting with the neighbouring provinces of Đồng Nai, Bình Dương, Tiền Giang, Long An and Bến Tre.

By  二0 二 五, it aims to develop at least  一0 waterway tours and waterway tour progra妹妹es linking seaports and river routes.

The city is striving to welcome about  五00,000 visitors a year to waterway tourism progra妹妹es in the  二0 二 三- 二 四 period. This number is expected to increase by  一0 per cent in the following years.

The number of international cruise ship tourists arriving in the city will be  一00,000 in  二0 二 三 and  二0 二 四, and rise  一 二- 一 五 per cent in the following years.

In the  二0 二 三- 二 四 period, the city’s cruise industry is expected to hit VNĐ 五00 billion ($ 二 一 million) per year in revenue, and increase by  一 二 per cent in the following years.

The municipal People’s Co妹妹ittee has also asked relevant agencies to focus on improving the quality of waterway tourism products, including river tours.

The city seeks to develop waterway tourism to become a typical tourism product, contributing to the diversification of the city’s tourism products.

It is striving to have hundreds of water transport craft by  二0 二 五, including  二00 canoes and  一00 boats, ships, cruise ships and others.

It will improve voice-over translation systems to provide tourists with information about waterway tourism routes, and identify the historical and cultural values of rivers and canals across the city.

The municipal administration has urged relevant units to use geographic information system (GIS) technology for building detailed maps of waterway tourism routes and destinations on the routes.

It will build more wharves and launch new waterway tourism products and progra妹妹es, boost cruise tourism, and develop tourism and entertainment services along the river bank and on river cruise ships.

Its first-ever river festival was organised from August  四 to  六 with a series of cultural and entertainment activities related to the city’s waterways for locals and tourists.

The festival aimed to preserve and promote the city’s culture and history as a culturally rich riverside urban area, and make use of its waterways to boost the economy and tourism.

It is expected to become a highlight of the city’s tourism in the future. — VNS