Int'l Arrivals to HCM City Up 22 per cent in First Two Months
Ho Chi Minh City, the biggest city of Vietnam, welcomed more than 522,860 international visitors in the first two months of 2007, up 22 per cent against the same period last year, according to the municipal People’s Committee.
Most visitors came from the United States, Japan, Taiwan (China), South Korea, and European countries.
The city’s tourism turnover reached VND1.6 trillion (US$100 million), up 30.1 per cent from the corresponding period last year.
In February alone, Ho Chi Minh City received around 216,800 international tourists, up 30 per cent year-on-year.
The Ho Chi Minh City Economic Institute predicts there will be a big turnover increase in the tourism and service sectors in the coming days, when many big festivals will be held.
Ho Chi Minh City currently has the highest number of luxury hotels of any city in Vietnam, with 150 hotels including ten five-star and four four-star hotels with 10,000 rooms. The city also reports 304 travel companies, including 120 licensed to provide outbound tours.
In 2006, the city greeted around 2.4 million foreign arrivals, 17.5 per cent higher than 2005.
It expects to welcome 2.65 million international visitors and earn tourism revenue of VND19.5 trillion (US$1.2 billion) in 2007, up 10 per cent and 20 per cent on-year respectively. (NhanDan Online)
Vietnamese
