Published:  00:00 Friday - September 19, 2008

Saigontourist Travel Service Company has welcomed about 1,100 visitors, mainly Australians from the SuperStar Gemini cruise ship which docked at Sai Gon port on the afternoon of September 19.

This is the last time it has come to Ho Chi Minh City according to this year’s schedule.

During their two-day stays in HCM, tourists will discover the city through tours by cyclo, find out about Vietnamese culture by taking part in national music performances and traditional weddings as well as cooking courses at Ben Thanh market and go to visit Cu Chi underground tunnels and My Tho city.

Saigontourist is known to have received more than 70,000 sea travellers from China, Britain, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, Germany and Austria over the past eight months.

The number of visitors has increased by 80 percent compared with the same period last year thanks to the opening of new tours in Ha Long Bay, Hanoi, Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, Nha Trang and HCM City.