Published:  13:47 Friday - January 04, 2013

Ho Chi Minh City will organize one attractive event on a monthly basis in order to achieve its target of luring 4.1 million international tourist arrivals in 2013, asserted La Quoc Khanh, deputy director of the municipal Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

The non-smoking industry currently accounts for 11 percent of the city’s gross domestic production, and HCMC will focus on the sustainable development for this industry, he said.

The city last week hosted a rowing race on its Tau Hu canal, which he said was a successful event as it attracted a number of tourists.

“Hence, we have determined that river tourism is one of the most competitive segments for international holidaymakers and this sector will thus be focused on this year,” he told Tuoi Tre.


The city has recently put into operation its Center for Vietnam Tourism Promotion, which will help renovate how tourism activities in the city are introduced to the world. “The city will host a festive event every month in addition to fashion, tourism or culinary weeks,” he said. “These will create attractiveness for HCMC.”

Khanh said the tourism promotion center will focus on introducing the tourism potentials of Vietnam to tourists from Russia, North Europe, and Middle East, as well as young people from neighboring countries.

“We plan to run some culture exchange activities with the youth in six to seven neighboring cities in June or July,” he said. “Young tourists are a potential market as they are willing to change and easily adapt to new environments; they will build a bridge to connect international tourists and Vietnam.”

Source: Tuoitrenews