The number of foreign tourists arriving in Ho Chi Minh City during the first nine months of 2019 was estimated at 5.45 million, up 21.25% from the same period the previous year and already reaching 72.6% of this year’s target for foreign tourists.
Total income received from tourism during the first nine months of 2018 reached around VND98,494 billion, a rise of 18.19% from 2017. Enjoying a growth rate of 9%, the tourism sector only lags marginally behind the trade sector for highest growth this year at 9.1%.
Over the past nine months, the city has organized a range of high quality events specifically aimed at tourists such as an Ao Dai festival, a tourism festival, a ceremony to welcome the first visitor of the year, a southern food festival and a southern fruit festival. With the quality of events increasing and also diversifying, coupled with more efficient promotion to spread the word, festivals and events in HCM City have seen both domestic and foreign visitors flock to them
In addition to these events and festivals, the city has accelerated its promotion of tourist activities such as the waterway tourism programs, agri-eco tourism, a “HCM City - 100 interesting things” program, art performances and a HCM City tourism festival. Furthermore, it has focused on implementing measures to ensure security and safety for visitors and improve the tourism environment so as to build an image of a friendly, attractive and safe city.