Strengthening partnerships, improving product quality.

Since the beginning of 2023, searches for Vietnam tourism have continuously increased, making it the only destination in Southeast Asia to be among the world's top-performing destinations. Ho Chi Minh City is one of the most searched-for destinations. Never before have tourism products in the city been so numerous and diverse. Focusing investment on improving quality and increasing connectivity with other regions will create a strong impetus for growth.

Strengthening regional linkages

In 2023, Ho Chi Minh City's tourism industry aimed to welcome approximately 5 million international visitors and 35 million domestic visitors. Data from the first nine months shows that the city's tourism sector has already welcomed around 3.56 million international visitors and nearly 27 million domestic visitors. Although international tourist arrivals increased by 69% compared to the same period last year, the annual target has not yet been reached.

Speaking with a reporter from the Nguoi Lao Dong newspaper, Ms. Huynh Phan Phuong Hoang, Deputy General Director of Vietravel Tourism Company, analyzed that tourists visiting Ho Chi Minh City are mainly MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) visitors; those combining business trips with investment opportunities; etc., so inter-regional connectivity is very important. Visitors to Ho Chi Minh City will then continue on to other destinations such as Ho Tram, Vung Tau, and Phan Thiet for relaxation. Recently, some expressways have come into operation, such as the Dau Giay - Phan Thiet route, contributing to facilitating this flow of tourists, but it is still not enough, so further investment in transportation infrastructure is needed to support tourism in Ho Chi Minh City.

Ho Chi Minh City needs to accelerate inter-regional connectivity to develop common tourism product packages.

"It's not that the city's tourism industry is doing poorly, but partly due to objective market factors, such as the lack of tourists from Eastern and Northern Europe... This market segment used to enjoy visiting the city and then continuing on to nearby resorts like Ho Tram. However, after COVID-19, the needs and preferences of tourists have changed, so the city also needs solutions to tap into other tourist markets," said Ms. Phuong Hoang.

For example, the international tourist groups currently experiencing strong growth in Vietnam are South Koreans and Indians, who particularly enjoy Da Nang and Nha Trang. How can Ho Chi Minh City attract more of these tourists? Or, to attract more MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourists, we need to accelerate inter-regional connectivity with other localities, develop joint tourism packages, and promote them together to draw tourists to Ho Chi Minh City and then spread the influence to other areas. As infrastructure develops, businesses will be able to create suitable tourism products to meet the needs of tourists.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Man, Director of Communications and Marketing at TSTtourist, also noted that Ho Chi Minh City has many tourism products, but to increase competitiveness and attractiveness, it needs to connect with neighboring provinces and cities such as the Southeast region, the Mekong Delta, Binh Thuan, and Khanh Hoa… Tourism linkages require specific promotional efforts to attract two-way tourists from these localities back to Ho Chi Minh City.

Integrating tourism and culinary promotion

From the perspective of experts and businesses, Ho Chi Minh City currently has no shortage of tourism products, and in fact, many thanks to recent efforts, especially after COVID-19. However, to become attractive products for domestic and international tourists and compete with other destinations, Mr. Tran Quang Duy, Director of Penguin Tourism Company, believes that more activities and diversity are needed for each new tourism product. For example, the Saigon Commando tour program, which has its own unique appeal and is "unlike anything else," needs more experiential and interactive content for tourists.

River tourism is one of the products with great potential to attract tourists.

"River tourism is also a product with great potential to attract tourists, but currently it is suitable for international tourists due to the high cost of tours. Therefore, to make river tourism more accessible to tourists, it requires the involvement of relevant parties to lower tour prices while still ensuring the best experience for tourists," Mr. Duy said.

To further boost tourism in Ho Chi Minh City, experts suggest that businesses need to promote inter-regional cooperation, connecting destinations with resort chains to create attractive product packages, coupled with effective marketing and networking. Promotion and marketing efforts should be undertaken now to attract tourists next year and beyond. Each market requires a specific and appropriate marketing strategy.

Regarding the Chinese tourist trend, Ms. Huynh Phan Phuong Hoang believes that if China's tourism industry focuses on the domestic market this year, then in 2024 there could be a large influx of Chinese tourists traveling abroad. As for tourists from South Korea, Thailand, Taiwan (China), India, etc., after vacationing in nearby destinations, how can we attract them back to Ho Chi Minh City?

Ms. Nguyen Thi Khanh, President of the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association, proposed that the city's tourism promotion strategy should focus on nearby and neighboring markets that are attracting significant tourist interest, such as South Korea, Japan, China, India, and Thailand. For example, Malaysian and Thai tourists are very fond of shopping, so the city needs solutions to maximize this preference and encourage them to spend more. Tourist demand has changed after COVID-19, and coupled with economic difficulties, tourists are tending to tighten their spending and shift towards traveling to nearby markets.

Cuisine is one of the strengths of Vietnam's tourism industry.

"In particular, cuisine is one of the strengths of Vietnam's tourism industry, and Ho Chi Minh City can be said to be a culinary paradise, with enough potential to attract tourists. The Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association has organized many food festivals in recent years to introduce Vietnamese cuisine and promote the image of the destination with themed festivals such as the bread festival. The upcoming 'Glorifying Vietnamese Culinary Culture 2023' will contribute to connecting Vietnamese culture with the world," said Ms. Nguyen Thi Khanh.

Mr. Le Truong Hien Hoa, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, said that the city has collaborated with many localities across the country to develop tourism. Regional linkages are a very important highlight, especially the linkage of human resources, which has greatly supported the city. The Mekong Delta and the Southeast region are two priority areas for tourism connection, offering both short-term and long-term tourism products for the city.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/du-lich-xanh/tao-vi-the-rieng-cho-du-lich-tp-hcm-tang-lien-ket-nang-chat-san-pham-20231018163728536.htm