HCMC creates open mechanism for developing tourism

Deputy Chairwoman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Council Truong Thi Anh and delegation yesterday liaised with the city’s Tourism Association on the sector’s development.
Tourists in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: SGGP)
Tourists in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: SGGP)
The meeting aimed to discuss measures for developing the city’s tourism.

Deputy Chairwoman of the Association Nguyen Thi Khanh petitioned city's authorities not to invest in tourism development in a staggered way  but focus on promoting advertising, and attracting tourists from near countries such as South Korea, Japan and Malaysia; especially the authorities should issue  the visa free travel policy  to businesspersons and holiday-makers.

As per a statistic report, in the final half of last year, the city welcomed nearly 400,000 visitors from five European countries including England, France, Spain, Germany and Italy, whose citizens have enjoyed visa exemption to Vietnam,  an increase of 12 percent compared to same period in 2015.
However, the visa free policy for citizens from the five countries will end in next July. Meanwhile Vietnam’s neighboring nations have applied simple policies of granting visa for tourists from all corners of the world.

As a result the association petitioned the government to continue waiving visas for vacationers to June 30, 2022; and apply visa-free policy for tourists who travel to Vietnam before entering other nations and then return Vietnam.

A participant said the government should back travel agencies through package because governments in Thailand, Malaysia, and Singapore pay all expenses for promoting advertising.
Additionally, Vietnam should have a center to sell souvenirs and specialties to attract holiday-makers and encourage tourists to spend while visiting the country.

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