Special tours give visitors insight into HCM City’s history
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 (Photo: VNA)
HCM City (VNA) – Special tours ofthe best places of interest in Ho Chi Minh City are being offered as part of a promotionprogramme of the southern economic hub of Vietnam from now through 2019.
The municipal Department of Tourism launched theprogramme on November 29, aiming to attract more tourists and introduce thecity’s development history on the occasion of its 320th founding anniversarythis year.
Deputy Director of the department Nguyen Thi AnhHoa said more than 60 travel firms and tourism service providers haveregistered to take part in this campaign.
The eight tours they offer under this programme aim to givetourists an insight into the formation and development of HCM City, and aredivided into three groups: tours of the city’s inner areas, tours of Can Giocoastal district, and trips to Cu Chi district. Each tour costs between 399,000VND (about 17.1 USD) and 2.1 million VND (90.2 USD).
Famed places in the inner areas include the HCMCity Post Office, Notre-Dame Cathedral, Binh Tay Market, and the War RemnantsMuseum. While Can Gio district is famous for the Vam Sat eco-tourism site andRung Sac Military Base, Cu Chi district is most known for its historical relicsite of Cu Chi Tunnels.
Hoa said these tours will be provided at thebest prices but still ensure service quality. She added that in most of thetours, participants will have a chance to visit local museums which will helpthem learn about the city’s history.
Additionally, local tourism firms have alsolaunched many discounted trips such as boat or motorcycle tours. Relevantservices like shopping, eating, transportation and dental tourism will also beoffered at competitive prices under the programme.
HCM City welcomed 6.1 million foreign tourist arrivalsbetween January and October in 2018, up over 20 percent year on year, Hoa said.
She expressed her belief that the tourismpromotion programme will not only satisfy holiday makers from across Vietnamand other countries but also attract city dwellers to local attractions tolearn more about their city’s cultural and historical values.-VNA
Based on its 2017 success, Ho Chi Minh City aims to attract between seven and eight million international visitors and a whopping 29 million domestic visitors in 2018.
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Ho Chi Minh City has strived to tap into its tourism development potential, with the support of digital technology, as the city is Vietnam’s leading tourism hub and an attractive destination.
A recent report, City Pulse 2025, by Gensler Research Institute, ranked HCM City among the world’s top cities for resident retention, placing it second globally. This underscores the city's reputation as a liveable, dynamic urban centre, an image that supports efforts to attract investors, experts, and MICE travellers.
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Thien Hau Pagoda - a tourist destination in HCM City (Photo: VNA) 
