VietNamNet Bridge – HCM City will become the first location in Vietnam to have a tourism management body, following a decision by the Prime Minister and the municipal People's Council, which both approved the proposal of the city government.

On September 11, at meeting of the HCM City People’s Council, deputies adopted the proposal on the establishment of the Department of Tourism of the local People’s Committee to ensure thorough, prompt and strict management over this industry. HCM City Chairman Le Hoang Quan had submitted the proposal to Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung, who approved it.

Accordingly, the division in charge of tourism management of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of HCM City will be separated to form the Department of Tourism.

The new agency will be headquartered at No.40 Nguyen Dinh Chieu Road, Ward 6, District 3. The agency will have 75 employees.

According to HCM City Vice Chair Hua Ngoc Thuan, HCM City is one of the leading tourist centers of the country, welcoming 60% of international visitors to Vietnam and accounting for 47% of the country's tourism revenue.

In the 2006-2013 period, the number of international tourists to the city increased by an average of 10% annually and domestic tourists increased by 20-30% per year despite the economic slowdown. Tourism revenue also rose 27% per year on average, contributing 11% of the city's GDP.

HCM City previously had a Tourism Department established in August 1993, which was later merged with the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism in June 2008.

Pha Le