Between 2026 and 2030, Ho Chi Minh City will invest in three international passenger ports in the former Vung Tau and Khanh Hoi areas to develop cruise tourism and welcome international visitors.
Cruise ship passengers can quickly "clear out" Ben Thanh Market.
"Cruise ships have long been a major source of tourists for Ho Chi Minh City. At Saigontourist alone, cruise ship passengers often account for nearly 60% of the international tourists we serve annually, with some weeks seeing 2-3 large cruise ships," said Ms. Doan Thi Thanh Tra, Deputy General Director of Saigontourist Travel Service Company. Although it doesn't yet have a dedicated cruise port like Singapore, Ho Chi Minh City is still chosen by international cruise lines for their itineraries thanks to its existing deep-water port system, especially in the Cai Mep area. Passengers arriving at the port are then transferred to the city to participate in the "City Tour" program.
"There are cruise ships packed with Chinese, Taiwanese, and Hong Kong tourists… When they arrive in Ho Chi Minh City, about 40 buses pouring from the port into the city center can 'sweep' Ben Thanh Market clean. Sometimes, when tourists disembark, the vendors in the market have nothing left to sell," Ms. Tra recounted, as evidence of the spending habits of cruise ship tourists.
Cruise ship passengers are the highest-spending group of international tourists.
PHOTO: NHAT THINH
According to Ms. Tra, cruise ship passengers not only bring revenue to the service industry but also play a crucial role in building Ho Chi Minh City's brand as a destination on the international tourism map. Being chosen as a stopover point on the itineraries of large cruise ships is already a significant advantage.
However, the lack of a dedicated cruise port is a limitation that prevents us from fully exploiting the potential of this tourist segment. This has also been a concern for tourism businesses in the area for many years. The head of the Department of Tourism acknowledges that the Cai Mep - Thi Vai area is currently mainly a cargo port and has not been specifically planned for passenger ships. To welcome international cruise ships, the city needs more time to complete the infrastructure, prepare human resources, and establish service procedures.
According to the plan approved by the Prime Minister , the Cai Mep port area is oriented as a gateway port and international transshipment hub, while the Thi Vai port area serves the socio-economic development of the inter-regional area.
International tourists shopping at Ben Thanh Market.
PHOTO: NHAT THINH
The Ministry of Construction has allowed the continued reception of international passenger ships at some ports in the Cai Mep - Thi Vai area until June 30, 2026, creating favorable conditions for Ho Chi Minh City to prepare infrastructure and a comprehensive investment plan, aiming to welcome international tourists stably after 2026.
Following the direction of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, the Department of Construction, in coordination with relevant departments and agencies, has advised on a list of priority investment projects for waterway transport, including international passenger ports. The Department has completed the pre-feasibility study report and submitted it to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee proposing the investment policy for the Vung Tau international passenger port project, to meet the rapidly increasing demand for maritime transport and tourism.
In reality, cruise ship passengers typically stay for a short period, only 1-2 days in each location, unlike airline passengers who can stay for many days. However, in Vietnam, cruise ship passengers often stay longer due to the long journeys from Ho Chi Minh City to the Central and then Northern regions, sometimes up to 4-5 days, and they spend and shop quite lavishly. It can be said that this is a potential customer segment, a goldmine for Vietnam.
Positioning the destination on the international cruise tourism map.
Currently, Vietnam has many international cruise ship destinations stretching from North to South. For example, in the North, there is the Ha Long International Passenger Port (Quang Ninh), where passengers disembark to visit Hai Phong and Hanoi; in the Central region, ships often dock at Chan May Port (Hue) or Tien Sa Port (Da Nang) for passengers to visit Hue, Da Nang, and Hoi An. These destinations are all very familiar on the international cruise tourism map.
A distinctive feature of cruise tourism is that the peak season lasts from October to April of the following year, although ships operate sporadically throughout the rest of the year.
PHOTO: NHAT THINH
However, Ho Chi Minh City remains the most frequent destination. The main reason lies in the shipping routes of the carriers. Most ships from the US or countries in the Asian region follow 30 or 60-day itineraries around the region, and usually enter Vietnam from the south.
Meanwhile, to reach northern ports like Ha Long, ships have to pass through Hong Kong or China before turning back to Vietnam, following a different route. Therefore, Ho Chi Minh City is practically the "gateway" for cruise ship passengers to access Vietnam's vibrant culture, cuisine, and urban life.
Therefore, in order to be ready to receive international passenger ships stably after 2026, the city is preparing documents and pilot plans in the Cai Mep - Thi Vai area until June 2026, while also considering adding passenger capacity to existing ports.
"The biggest desire of businesses is for Ho Chi Minh City to have a specialized cruise ship port that caters specifically to cruise ship tourists, from arrival and departure procedures, customs, ground services to experiences suitable for the high-end international segment. With a professional port, we will be able to further maximize the potential of this market," a representative from Saigontourist travel agency expressed.
Cruise packages for the peak season are typically sold at least 8 to 12 months in advance, meaning that ships arriving during this season have already been sold since last year.
PHOTO: NHAT THINH
However, a representative from another travel agency argued that six months is too short, and even a year is insufficient to develop a cruise business plan. Everything must be aligned with the international cruise line's sales strategy. It's unacceptable to sell successfully today and then stop tomorrow. That's a significant risk for both the business and its partners.
Dr. Justin Matthew Pang, Head of the Tourism and Hospitality Management Department at RMIT University Vietnam, commented: Vietnam possesses one of the most attractive coastlines in the region, conveniently connected to the Asian cruise tourism route. This area attracts a large number of tourists who enjoy cruise experiences, especially from South Korea, Singapore, Japan, and India. This group of tourists has high spending power, enjoys exploring local culture and international standard services, making it a highly potential market that Vietnam needs to actively exploit.
However, he argued that Vietnam is facing significant competitive pressure from Singapore, Hong Kong, Thailand, and others, which have professional port operation models, standardized services, and sophisticated experiences specifically for cruise ship passengers.
"If Vietnam can build a distinct cruise destination brand, streamline service processes, and invest strategically, we can absolutely become a new star on the international cruise tourism map," emphasized Dr. Justin Matthew Pang.
According to the Khanh Hoa Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, since the beginning of the year, the province has welcomed 19 international cruise ships with over 22,258 tourists. It is expected that by the end of 2025, the province will continue to welcome an additional 7 ships with approximately 10,000 passengers. Mr. Nguyen Van Hoa, Director of the Khanh Hoa Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, stated that the continuous arrival of international cruise ships confirms the recovery of cruise tourism, making a significant contribution to the overall development of the province's tourism industry.
According to the approved plan, Cam Ranh International Port is permitted to receive international passenger ships up to 225,000 GT, along with cruise ships and yachts. The Ministry of Construction has allowed Cam Ranh International Port to receive international passenger ships until June 30, 2026, provided that the ship size is compatible with the load-bearing capacity of the port's structure.
Ba Duy
A chef on a 5-star international cruise ship that once docked at Cai Mep - Thi Vai port (Ho Chi Minh City).
PHOTO: NHAT THINH
Source: https://thanhnien.vn/khai-thac-mo-vang-khach-du-lich-tau-bien-185251027215056473.htm
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