Exploiting the potential of river tourism in Ho Chi Minh City

During a working trip to France, a high-ranking delegation of Ho Chi Minh City led by Secretary of the City Party Committee Nguyen Van Nen recently surveyed and learned about the development plan of the Seine River. This information quickly attracted the attention of tourism workers because Ho Chi Minh City has a great advantage in developing river tourism.

Not yet planned systematically and synchronously

A few days ago, Ms. Ngoc Han (living in District 1, Ho Chi Minh City) and a group of friends attended an event on the Hon Ngoc Vien Dong ship at Bach Dang Wharf. She and her friends had dinner on the ship, watched the sparkling night view of the city from the Saigon River, and enjoyed a traditional music program...

"Ho Chi Minh City has the Saigon River flowing through the central area, which is so beautiful. The cool air from the river is completely different from the crowded atmosphere on the shore during the day. However, the boat takes passengers to about 9 pm and then docks again. I observed many other boats doing the same. Tourists are waiting for more unique experiences on the river and on the boat" - Ms. Ngoc Han said.

Tourists paddle SUP on the river in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: BINH AN

With many years of experience in exploiting cruise tourism and having tourism products on the Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe canal, Mr. Phan Xuan Anh, General Director of Viet Travel Company, commented that Ho Chi Minh City's river tourism is unique and different. There are few river wharfs located right in the city center such as the Bach Dang Wharf area or the Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe canal running through the central area.

"With waterways, Ho Chi Minh City is a transit center for international visitors to continue to the Mekong Delta provinces and then to Cambodia, Thailand... However, river tourism lacks systematic and synchronous planning, so its full potential has not been fully exploited," said Mr. Phan Xuan Anh.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, said that the draft strategy for Ho Chi Minh City tourism development to 2030 identifies the city's tourism products as having 3 groups of tourism products: specific tourism products, main tourism products and supplementary tourism products.

In particular, waterway tourism products are identified as a special tourism product group, including waterway tourism products within the area and products connecting from the city to the provinces, tourist centers of the Southeast and Mekong Delta. Tourists can fully experience the landscape, architecture, culture, history and typical ecosystems of the basins of some major rivers such as Dong Nai River, Tien River, Hau River and the largest coastal island in Vietnam.

Need to invest heavily in riverside landscape

Many travel companies have been deploying a series of river tourism products to welcome visitors. However, compared to other product lines, the city’s river tourism potential has not been fully exploited.

Ms. Tran Phuong Linh, Marketing and Information Technology Director of BenThanh Tourist Company, said that the company has designed a number of short-term river tours, notably the SUP tour on the Saigon River; the SUP tour through the Can Gio mangrove forest...

"The number of tourists who want to participate in this tour is still modest. The tour is not yet classified as one of the company's main products. The quality of waterway environmental sanitation directly affects the tourists' experience. Household waste and environmental pollution are still a challenge for the tourism industry in Ho Chi Minh City. Before mentioning the diversity and attractiveness of the product, it is necessary to create a green and clean natural environment so that tourists can feel secure in their experience" - Ms. Phuong Linh cited.

According to businesses, if compared to some countries with strongly developed river tourism products such as France, China or Thailand, it can be seen that Ho Chi Minh City has not invested in the landscape on both sides of the river, lacking beautiful architectural buildings, attractive entertainment spots... For Ho Chi Minh City's river tourism to develop, the tourism industry needs to invest strategically, systematically, long-term and with a vision.

Mr. Nguyen Tran Hoang Phuong, acting director of the Institute for Social Tourism Research, said that developing tourism based on river resources will certainly bring many positive results. Currently, Ho Chi Minh City has the Saigon River winding through the city, carrying many natural and cultural values. There are few rivers that meet such conditions. However, some travel companies are only implementing river tours, night cruises with dinner or small cruises with afternoon tea on the Saigon River.

"Businesses have only been able to exploit this area because the infrastructure and conditions for serving tourists are still very limited. To develop tourism in Ho Chi Minh City, it is imperative to develop river tourism products with tours that bring many experiences and discoveries," said Mr. Hoang Phuong.

River cruise series

From now until the end of 2023, the city's Department of Tourism will coordinate with departments, branches, units and businesses to organize the River Festival. In addition, according to Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, the Department of Tourism is finalizing and submitting to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee a plan to develop waterway tourism in the city for the period 2023-2025. Accordingly, the tourism industry will continue to develop waterway tourism products with cultural, historical, unique and characteristic features; strengthen coordination with provinces to develop more inter-route and inter-regional waterway tourism products.

"The Department is coordinating and supporting a number of businesses to develop investment projects for waterway tourism products with overnight stays on boats, experience products and water sports in Can Gio. When the project to develop the riverbank and embankment economy is approved, more waterway tourism products will be formed," said Ms. Anh Hoa.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/du-lich-xanh/khai-pha-tiem-nang-du-lich-duong-song-tp-hcm-20230629212501662.htm