GLOBAL INFLATION - HCM City expects airfare reduction help to revive tourism. VNA/VNS Photo by Trần Huy Hùng

HCM CITY — The HCM City Department of Tourism urged the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism (MoCST) to seek ways to reduce airfare to revive tourism.

“A hike in airfares is heavily impacting the recovery and development of tourism,” said Nguyễn Thị Ánh Hoa, director of the department, at an online and offline conference to review cultural, tourism and sports activities in the first six months of 2022 hosted by MoCST on Friday.

She proposed that the ministry’s leaders work with the Ministry of Transport to find solutions for airfare reductions.

According to the ministry, the National Assembly Standing Committee on July 6 issued resolution No 20/2022/UBTVQH15 on a reduction in the environmental protection tax on petrol and oil as the Government tries to support production and businesses in a post-pandemic recovery amid climbing commodities prices. This move should help lower airfares this month.

For visa issues, the department’s director suggested the ministry propose that the Government consider an expansion of visa exemptions for more countries and extend the period of stay from 15 to 30 days.

She also proposed to extend e-visa issuance for visitors from more countries, and restore e-visa issuance at border gates for visitors with emergency reasons.

Hoa asked the ministry to work with relevant agencies to issue preferential policies on taxes and fees for businesses and individuals who run night-time businesses.

The move is aimed at boosting night-time economic development and create more activities for tourists, she said.

According to the department, 11.08 million domestic visitors visited HCM City in the first half of 2022, up 43.1 per cent over the same period last year.

Nearly 478,000 foreign tourists arrived in the first half of the year.

Total tourism revenue in the first half of 2022 was VNĐ49.7 billion (nearly US$2.2 billion), up 29.9 per cent compared to the same period last year, reaching 73.5 per cent of the year’s target.  — VNS

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A total of 460 MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and events) delegates from Volvo Eicher, India visited HCM City from July 15-17.

The delegates participated in a meeting and then had tours around the city to discover its attractions, enjoy Vietnamese cuisine and shop.

They also had a cruise tour on Sài Gòn River by Indochina Queen Rivercruiser, and visited Cửu Long (Mekong Delta).