Visitors play traditional games at the HCM City Tourism Festival that opened on Thursday in HCM City. VNS Photo Thu Hằng

HCM CITY — HCM City and eight provinces in the expanded north-western region will strengthen linkages to fully tap their tourism potential and develop more inter-regional travel products, tourism authorities have said.

The region, comprising Điện Biên, Hà Giang, Hòa Bình, Lai Châu, Lào Cai, Sơn La, Yên Bái, and Phú Thọ provinces, is an “amazing destination” for those who love adventure, spectacular landscapes and diverse cultures, Hà Văn Thắng, director of the Lào Cai Province tourism department, said.

The tie-up with the city has helped the region expand its markets and attract more tourists, he told a conference on tourism promotion in the city on Thursday.

The eight provinces would step up efforts to develop travel linkages with the city to fully realise their tourism potential, he added.

Nguyễn Thị Ánh Hoa, director of the HCM City Department of Tourism, said regional tourism linkages have yielded effective results by providing diverse offerings.

The use of IT plays a vital role in the marketing and promotion of tourism products and services and boosting travel linkages, she said.

Meanwhile, the “Tây Bắc Quintessence” festival is being organised by the eight provinces and the city at the HCM City Tourism Festival that opened on Thursday.

The former is aimed at promoting the cultural identities and introducing the unique tourist attractions of the north-western provinces.

It includes a photo exhibition of the beautiful landscapes and diverse cultures and traditional dance and music genres and games.

The annual HCM City Tourism Festival has nearly 120 booths showcasing tourism products and services from cities and provinces across the country.

Speaking at its opening ceremony on Thursday, Dương Anh Đức, deputy chairman of the city People’s Committee, said the event is aimed at stimulating demand during the summer travel season and promoting tourist attractions and unique products and services to domestic and international tourists.

The city has seen good recovery in tourism in the first quarter, with 1.04 million foreign arrivals and 7.5 domestic tourists visiting it, he said.

Income from tourism was VNĐ36.1 trillion (US$1.54 billion), up 77.2 per cent year-on-year.

The four-day event at the September 23 Park in District 1 offers hundreds of tourism products at attractive discounts. — VNS

Visitors at the HCM City Tourism Festival that opened on Thursday in HCM City. VNS Photo Thu Hằng