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Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC)'s tourism industry has consolidated its spearhead role in recent years, with increased proportions of GDP from 10 percent in 2010 and 11 percent in 2011.
Its objectives this year are to welcome about 3.78 million foreign tourists, an eight percent increase over the previous year, and to attain VND68 trillion in revenue, a 20 percent increase. It expects to welcome five million foreign tourists and reach VND109 trillion by 2015.
According to the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in Ho Chi Minh City, in the month of July alone 226,000 foreign tourists visited the City (190,000 visitors of which arrived by air, up eight percent over the same period last year), a year-on-year increase of 10 percent, and the revenue touched VND3,754 billion (US$178 million). In the first seven months around 2,041,000 foreign tourists arrived in the City, meeting 53 percent of the total annual target. Turnover for the first seven months reached VND37.75 trillion, accounting for 56 percent of the entire year target.
To accomplish the goal of welcoming 3.78 million foreign tourists this year, HCMC People's Committee has recently planned to develop the economic restructuring support program during the 2011-2015 in the city's tourism industry. In addition, HCMC Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has also focused on a sustainable tourism growth, with quality products, increased promotion and cooperation.
Regional provinces will coordinate with HCMC to deploy tourism programs of international standards, continue infrastructure investment, strengthen tourist promotion in key markets, and to offer training courses for tourism workers.
HCMC authorities have implemented many projects including the local river tourism project during the 2011-2020 period, eco-tourism projects, tourism infrastructure investment projects, and tourism training projects. The eighth International Travel Expo-Ho Chi Minh City (ITE-HCMC) has recently held as an effort to boost the city's tourism development.
Tourism businesses in HCMC are growing rapidly as they have grasped the market trends and proper exploitation plans, contributing significantly to the city's tourism development strategy.
According to many major travel companies in HCMC, the visitor number tends to increased in fall, especially during the National Day September 2 with three consecutive vacation days. To seize this opportunity, most of travel companies in HCM City have launched several domestic and international tours with a variety of preferential rates.
For example, the Vietravel Co. is maintaining traditional tours with original or discounted prices; the Saigontourist Co. is ready to offer more than 50 domestic quality tours; other company including Fiditour, Ben Thanh Tourist, and Lien Bang Travelink have also unveiled a series of domestic and international tours at discounted prices to attract more visitors right at the beginning of this fall.
Via developing the economic restructuring support program during the 2011-2015 in the city's tourism industry, HCMC authorities and the local travel companies are striving to have a successful tourism season this year, contributing to the city's socioeconomic development goal.
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