HCM City to resume tourism market

A number of travel agencies in HCM City have started bringing tourists back on tours, developing new local tourism products and preparing to connect to neighbouring provinces for closed tours.

Vietravel has organised the first tour to Cần Giờ after a long social distancing period, with the participation of vice-chairman of HCM City People’s Committee Phan Thị Thắng.

The city Department of Tourism and Vietravel have coordinated activities, from surveying to ensuring safe tourism products. Cần Giờ, being one of the city’s "green zones”, has started to welcome tourists with green cards.

“The company has prepared to kick off the market in October and reopen business operations at its headquarters and branches nationwide. Vietravel now focuses on developing products that serve locals' staycation. In the next stage, the company will push connectivity among provinces via sets of tourism products that tourists can enjoy,” a representative of Vietravel said.

Saigontourist Travel Company on September 30 also organised a tour to Củ Chi for more than 150 frontline doctors and other medical staff working in District 6. This was a day tour which met requirements of epidemic prevention and control.

Similar to Cần Giờ, Củ Chi is one of HCM City’s green zones.

General director of Saigontourist Travel Nguyễn Hữu Y Yên said the company is ready to bounce back and has been working closely with service providers in HCM City and other localities to build quality tourism products friendly with the current situation.

Successful tours to Cần Giờ and the Củ Chi guerrilla warfare tunnels have marked a great start for the city’s tourism industry after a long pause.

The communication director of Fiditour Travel Company -- Vietluxtour, Trần Thị Bảo Thu, said that a number of customers have been asking for tours and planning to book tours after HCM City announced the reopening plan after October 1.

“Cần Giờ, Củ Chi and Phú Quốc are popular destinations that customers are keen on at the moment. This is a positive sign that HCM City will soon be vibrant again, step by step back to normal life,” she added.