Many artists are supporting the launch of the Ao Dai Festival in HCM City. — Photo courtesy of nld.com.vn

HCM City Department of Tourism Director Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa said the programme recently kicked off in an effort to help travel agencies affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Hoa said that about 100 travel agencies have agreed to join the programme and are offering tourism products with discounts of 10 to 50 per cent.

In order to encourage people to travel to and within HCM City, many tours have been upgraded or are brand new.

For example, while the Saigontourist Travel Service Company is offering tours to Can Gio, Sac Forest and Hang Duong Market, TST Tourist Company is focusing on the Saigon Water Bus tour, together with tours to Ao Dai Museum or Hi-tech Agricultural Park in Cu Chi District.

The general director of the Saigontourist Travel Service Company, Nguyen Huu Y Yen, said the company has collaborated with the HCM City Department of Tourism and the Tourism Association in an association programme that connects HCM City with 13 Mekong Delta Provinces and six provinces in the Southeast region.

A few tours under this programme have been introduced and have received positive feedback from locals.

“Taking advantage of our nationwide system, Saigontourist plans to promote new products to bring more tourists to HCM City. As the city is preparing for the Ao dai Festival, tourists will be able to enjoy the festival,” Yen added.

Meanwhile, the communications director of the TST Tourist Company, Nguyen Minh Man, said the stimulus programme tours would spark demand and eventually create a trend in domestic travel. 

The tours will also provide tourists with a chance to experience a vibrant, dynamic and ever-changing HCM City.

The Hop On - Hop Off bus, the river buses and the upcoming metro system are essential to the efficiency of new tours, he added. 

High quality products

Many firms have launched quality promotional campaigns to attract more tourists. 

Deputy General Director of Vietravel Tourism Huynh Phan Phuong Hoang said the company has introduced many tours at a discount of 50 per cent.

The Southeast region and HCM City are safe tourism destinations and stimulus tours should be carried out to boost sales, she said, adding that tours to Cu Chi, Tay Ninh, Can Gio, Vung Tau and Con Dao are very popular.

Fiditour - Vietluxtour Travel Company has also reduced its tour prices by 10 to 30 per cent. A number of cultural and historical tours between HCM City and provinces in the West and Southeast regions have gained significant attention.

“HCM City has a lot of potential for cultural tourism in different audience segments. The industry needs further quality products to change the perception that HCM City is not just a transit point but also unique tourism spot,” a representative of Fiditour - Vietluxtour Travel said.

“Tourism products offered in HCM City should not always be about affordability but also offer high quality to meet the increasing demand from tourists from other provinces,” Man added. VNS

Quality tours at affordable prices needed to stimulate tourism market

High-quality, affordably priced tours are needed to attract local tourists, especially following the second COVID-19 outbreak that occurred this summer, experts have said.