VietNamNet Bridge - Building, renovating a series of piers, docks, organizing cultural events, etc. with a total capital of VND11 trillion, HCM City targets to turn river tourism into the city’s key tourism product in 2020.

With about 1,000 km of rivers and canals functioning as inland and maritime waterways, HCM City has a strategic location in the waterway tourism development strategy. The city center can be connected to all four directions and to all the key economic regions by waterway.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Transport, in recent years, the number of waterway tourists increased every year, especially for the medium distance routes like Bach Dang - Cu Chi, etc. However, the development of the tourism industry is still not commensurate with the potential and advantages because the systems of jetties, piers and shelters do not meet tourism standards.

To turn waterway tourism into the spearhead product, the relevant agencies have drafted the "Riverway tourism development strategy of HCM City in 2013-2015 and the vision towards 2020" with a total investment of VND1 trillion from the state budget and VND10 trillion from other sources.

According to the draft, the city is expected to push average growth rate of waterway tourists by about 20 percent annually and revenue up by 30 percent per year. By 2020, waterway tourism will become the city’s key product.

From now to 2015, the city will renovate and build 50 wharfs, piers and connect them to tourist attractions, develop 65 tourist attractions in the districts which have riverway tours and build three community attractions in Cu Chi, Can Gio and District 9.

This May, HCM City will introduce seven river tours, which starts from Bach Dang Wharf (District 1) to tourist sites in Binh Quoi, Cu Chi, District 9, etc.

HCM City will also organize cultural, sports and tourism events associated with waterway tourism on an annual basis at Bach Dang Wharf - Nha Rong wharf – Mong Bridge and develop water sports, resorts and health treatment centers in Can Gio, Cu Chi and District 9.

The city People's Committee has assigned the Saigon tourism corporation (Saigontourist) to open river tours from the city center to the ancient temples in District 5, District 6, and tours from the center to Ben Nghe and Tau Hu canals to the southwestern provinces.

Thu Tra