Special tours of the best places of interest in Ho Chi Minh City are being offered as part of a promotion programme of the southern economic hub of Vietnam from now through 2019.

Thien Hau Pagoda - a tourist destination in HCM City

The municipal Department of Tourism launched the programme on November 29, aiming to attract more tourists and introduce the city’s development history on the occasion of its 320th founding anniversary this year.

Deputy Director of the department Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa said more than 60 travel firms and tourism service providers have registered to take part in this campaign.

The eight tours they offer under this programme aim to give tourists an insight into the formation and development of HCM City, and are divided into three groups: tours of the city’s inner areas, tours of Can Gio coastal district, and trips to Cu Chi district. Each tour costs between 399,000 VND (about 17.1 USD) and 2.1 million VND (90.2 USD).

Famed places in the inner areas include the HCM City Post Office, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Binh Tay Market, and the War Remnants Museum. While Can Gio district is famous for the Vam Sat eco-tourism site and Rung Sac Military Base, Cu Chi district is most known for its historical relic site of Cu Chi Tunnels.

Hoa said these tours will be provided at the best prices but still ensure service quality. She added that in most of the tours, participants will have a chance to visit local museums which will help them learn about the city’s history.

Additionally, local tourism firms have also launched many discounted trips such as boat or motorcycle tours. Relevant services like shopping, eating, transportation and dental tourism will also be offered at competitive prices under the programme.

HCM City welcomed 6.1 million foreign tourist arrivals between January and October in 2018, up over 20 percent year on year, Hoa said.

She expressed her belief that the tourism promotion programme will not only satisfy holiday makers from across Vietnam and other countries but also attract city dwellers to local attractions to learn more about their city’s cultural and historical values.-VNA