Hanoi (VNA)– International tourists are becoming increasingly drawn to Ho Chi Minh Citywhere they can discover its vibrant blend of cultures through standout tours.

Of the total 25 million tourist arrivals that the city hosted during January –August, there are nearly 3 million foreigners, up 105.2% year-on-year.

Local tourist sites such as Ben Thanh Market,Sai Gon Central Post Office, and the War Remnants Museum have been favoured among the visitors.

Zuzanna Henel and Klaudia Witkowska from Poland said they are impressed by the“Biet dong Sai Gon” (Sai Gon Special Task Force) tour developed by Vietluxtour,during which they got a better understanding of Vietnam’s war time as well as storiesabout Sai Gon heroes.

Visiting HCM City for the fourth time in ten years, Allan Andersen from Demark saidhe wants to enjoy walks along the streets as well as local foods such as coffee,pho (noodle soup) and bun bo (noodle with beef).

Everything in the city is reasonable priced, he said, adding locals are friendly andable to communicate in English.

Boasting an array of entertainment activities, sightseeing destinations, andshopping sites, HCM City is also an alluring destination for Chinese visitors.According to Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Tourism Bui ThiNgoc Hieu, the city welcomed some 200,000 Chinese tourists in the first eightmonths of the year.

Over the past time, the city has organised an array of tourism promotionactivities to lure more visitors, with the highlight being the 17th International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City 2023 (ITE HCMC 2023) at the beginning of September.

Themed “Connectivity, Growth, Sustainability”, the three-dayexpo saw the participation of 199 buyers from 42 countries and territorieswhich are Vietnam’s key and potential inbound tourism markets, including Japan,the Republic of Korea, China, Poland, the US, France, Malaysia, and New Zealand.

There were than 9,000 networking sessions between the exhibitorsand buyers at the event.

According to Marketing Director at Vietravel Nguyen Nguyet Van Khanh, many customersflocked to the fair, which was held during the peak tourism season, to buypromotional tours, which is a sign that the city will welcome more visitors this autumn than the previous year.

Director of the municipal Department of Tourism Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa said inorder to attract more visitors, the city will survey the market to developits tourism brand, while enhancing communications campaigns to popularise itsimages both locally and internationally.

HCM City is pinning high hope on healthcare and wellness, and waterway tourismofferings, which are seen as a cash cow for the southern hub.

The municipal Department of Tourism has worked with 50entities, including hospitals, healthcare facilities, spa parlors, travelcompanies and lodging facilities to create 30 unique packages that combinehealth care with visits to renowned tourist destinations to meet the needs oftravelers.

The city is striving to welcome about 500,000 visitors a yearto the waterway tourism programmes in the 2023-2024 period. This number isexpected to increase by 10% in the following years./.