In the first six months of 2023, the number of international visitors to Ho Chi Minh City reached over 1.94 million, an increase of 306% compared to the same period in 2022. However, the city still faces a shortage of tour guides.
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism has recently reported on tourism activities in the first six months of 2023.
According to the report, the number of international visitors to Ho Chi Minh City in June 2023 is estimated at 249,137, a 15.4% increase compared to June 2022 (which had 215,892 visitors). Overall, in the first six months of 2023, there were approximately 1,941,267 international visitors, a 306% increase compared to the same period in 2022 (which had 477,982 visitors), reaching 38.8% of the 2023 target.
On the other hand, domestic tourists visiting Ho Chi Minh City in June 2023 are estimated at 2,642,468, a 25.2% increase compared to June 2022 (which had 2,110,489 visitors). In the first six months of 2023, there were approximately 16,415,438 domestic visitors, a 48% increase compared to the same period in 2022 (which had 11,089,304 visitors), reaching 46.9% of the 2023 target.
The total tourism revenue in June 2023 is estimated at 14,062 billion Vietnamese dong, a 38.2% increase compared to the same period in 2022 (which had 10,172 billion Vietnamese dong). In the first six months of 2023, the total revenue is estimated at 80,833 billion Vietnamese dong, a 62.7% increase compared to the same period in 2022 (which had 49,681 billion Vietnamese dong), reaching 50.5% of the 2023 target.
The number of international visitors to Ho Chi Minh City increased sharply. (Photo: Chi Hung)
Despite achieving positive numbers in the first half of the year, the tourism industry in the city believes that many travel agencies and hotels have not fully recovered from the pandemic. The international tourism market has not fully recovered to the level of 2019.
Furthermore, the transportation of tourists still faces many difficulties. The infrastructure has not been expanded and upgraded in line with urban development, and the high density of vehicles results in a lack of stopping points for pickups and drop-offs at tourist destinations. River tourism products still lack docks, bridges, and the canal environment is polluted, affecting several inland waterway tourism routes. The city also lacks a dedicated port to accommodate international cruise ship passengers.
Notably, there is still a shortage of tour guides for key markets, and a high proportion of small and medium-sized enterprises in the tourism industry limits their ability to compete, penetrate the market, and expand international brand recognition.
@Vietnamnet