Unique tour design

Attractive to locals and tourists.

After a recent family dinner on a cruise along the Saigon River, Nguyen Vu (34 years old, residing in Binh Thanh District) made plans with his colleagues to continue the experience. "The boat departs from District 1 at 7:30 PM, giving passengers about two hours to enjoy dinner and music . From the cruise, we can admire the sparkling city lights at night and enjoy the cool, fresh air on the Saigon River without the crowds and noise," he commented.

He believes that the prices of food and cruise tickets are higher than those of restaurants along the riverbank, but in return, guests get many new experiences. "The boats return to shore early, and many sections of the river lack scenic views, which are things that leave guests feeling less than completely satisfied," he said.

Mr. Vu Minh Tan (50 years old, a tourist from Nha Trang) also commented: "After a day of jostling on the bustling and noisy streets, having dinner on a restaurant boat cruising along the Saigon River was a delightful experience, very cool and peaceful. I took many photos with the city's landmarks."

Besides restaurant boats, many groups of young people also choose to take the river bus during the day or night for as little as 15,000 VND to check in and enjoy the scenery. Because of this "student-friendly" price and the continuous boat schedule from Bach Dang Waterway Station, the service is chosen by many people.

Ho Chi Minh City aims to develop waterway tourism products as one of its distinctive tourism offerings.

Mr. Tran Quang Duy, CEO of Penguin Travel Service Company, said that previously, when mentioning Ho Chi Minh City, people only thought of prominent landmarks such as Notre Dame Cathedral, the Reunification Palace, and the War Remnants Museum… Therefore, when introducing a new and unique tourism experience like a river tour, it attracted attention, especially from international tourists.

"Tourists really enjoy the experience of dining on the Saigon River, admiring the shimmering and magical beauty of the Saigon River at night. In addition, international tourists are also interested in other tour products such as the Nhieu Loc Canal, and traditional tours in Cu Chi and Can Gio. Tourists really need unique experiences that offer a new, distinctive, and attractive feeling," Mr. Duy commented.

Diverse waterway tours

Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu, Director of Marketing and Communications at Vietluxtour Travel, said that the company initially launched river tours to serve the inbound tourism market, but gradually domestic tourists also favored this type of tour and often chose it for weekend leisure activities for family groups.

"If this type of product is diversified, it will attract not only international and domestic tourists but also local people," Ms. Thu commented.

With four main rivers flowing through its territory – the Saigon, Dong Nai , Long Tau, and Soai Rap rivers – Ho Chi Minh City has a waterway network connecting it to neighboring provinces such as Binh Duong, Tay Ninh, Long An, Tien Giang, Ba Ria – Vung Tau, and the Mekong Delta. Therefore, the city can both exploit waterway transportation and has significant potential for developing this relatively new form of waterway tourism.

According to the draft plan for the development of waterway tourism products in Ho Chi Minh City for the period 2023-2025, the city aims to have a total of 200 canoes, 100 boats, and various types of yachts serving tourists by 2025.

To achieve the above objectives, the city's tourism industry prioritizes improving and enhancing existing waterway tourism products such as: the Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe inner-city route; the Binh Quoi route, the Cu Chi and Can Gio routes (starting from Bach Dang Wharf)... At the same time, it focuses on developing new waterway tourism routes within the city and connecting to the southeastern provinces, the Mekong Delta, or Cambodia.

Source link: https://thanhnien.vn/tphcm-danh-thuc-tiem-nang-du-lich-song-nuoc-thiet-ke-tour-doc-dao-185230802185558151.htm