HCM CITY — The HCM City Tourism Promotion Centre has tied up with Hong Kong-based Fayfay.com to attract travellers from Hong Kong and to promote Việt Nam’s tourism.

On Thursday, it signed a memorandum of understanding with the e-commerce travel site dedicated to Vietnamese travel experiences.

The MOU comes at a strategic time after visitors from Hong Kong to Việt Nam hit a record high in the first 10 months of this year.

“Hong Kong will be our focal market in coming years, and we hope that travellers from Hong Kong will be inspired to visit HCM City thanks to the exceptional activities and experiences showcased on Fayfay.com,” Trần Ngọc Đông Quân, deputy director of HTPC, said. 

“Together with Fayfay.com, we hope to make a significant contribution to tourism in Việt Nam and HCM City through joint promotional events, roadshows and media familiarisation trips.”

Kingston Lai, co-founder of Fayfay.com, said: “HCM City is an important destination on Fayfay.com and we look forward to partnering with HTPC to showcase the city’s vibrant lifestyle and unique architecture, rich culinary scene, and authentic local experiences.”

As an e-commerce platform dedicated to Việt Nam travel experiences, Fayfay.com not only focuses on curating on-the-ground packages but also provides all the travel essentials. 

On the site, travellers can find several resources such as immigration support, SIM cards and private transportation. 

The website is full of opportunities to book memorable hands-on activities such as lantern-making and silversmithing.

Nguyễn Thị Ánh Hoa, deputy director of the HCM City Department of Tourism, said China was an important inbound market for the city’s tourism.

Last year, HCM City welcomed 532,644 people from China or 13.3 per cent of all Chinese visitors to Việt Nam, a year-on-year increase of 33 per cent. 

In the first six months of this year, the number of Chinese visitors to the city was 495,356, a 21.8 per cent year-on-year rise.

Chinese travellers to Việt Nam usually stay for six to seven days, spending an average of US$639 per trip.

With an increasing number of direct flights between Việt Nam to major Chinese cities, it was expected more and more travellers from China would come, she added. —VNS