HCM City has actively applied technology and digital platforms to promote tourism, introduce safe destinations to tourists and create favourable conditions for tourism businesses to operate in a secure and flexible manner during the pandemic.

The 17th Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Festival, running virtually from December 4 to 25, is an effort in this direction.

Anyone can participate in the festival, which is co-organised by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism and Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association, by logging on to the event’s official website (ngayhoidulich.visithcmc.vn) or via Shopee e-commerce platform and Traveloka online tour agent.

Thanks to 2D and 3D platforms, visitors can experience the virtual exhibition booths, and receive direct support and advice through message or email. They can also make direct transactions to buy their favourite products and find super promotions in line with the time frame of the stalls.

Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, director of the HCM City’s Department of Tourism said to improve the effectiveness of tourism promotion of the city, the department has set up a modern platform designed to introduce its tourism. Particularly, the department has coordinated with Onicorn Media in developing the HoChiMinhCity Tourism app that enables users to find information about the city’s destinations more easily, Hoa said.

Phan Thi Thang, vice-chairwoman of the municipal People’s Committee, said the tourism industry is identified as a key economic sector, contributing more than 10 percent to the city's Gross Regional Domestic Product prior to the pandemic period.

The number of international visitors to HCM City accounts for about 50 percent of international tourists to Vietnam while domestic tourists to the city make up more than 30 percent of domestic travellers. The city’s tourism revenue is about 25 percent of that of the whole country.

The tourism festival is a practical activity, meeting the visitors’ demand in a safe manner while facilitating localities across the country to introduce their typical tourism products, Thang said, adding that it helped strengthen coordination between HCM City and other provinces and cities.

Nguyen Trung Khanh, director general of Vietnam National Administration of Tourism said the organisation of the 17th Ho Chi Minh Tourism Festival in the virtual form with the participation of 100 tourism firms and agencies will stimulate the demand for research and purchase of tourism products of tourists from all over the country.

The number of domestic tourists to HCM City reached nearly 9 million in 11 months of 2021, down 41 percent and 71 percent compared to those of 2020 and 2019.

Total revenue from tourists hit 42.6 trillion VND in the first 11 months of this year, a decline of 44 percent from the previous year and 69.7 percent from two years ago.

Source: VNA

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