Local and foreign tourists line up for a hop-on, hop-off double-decker bus tour at night. — VNS Photo Bồ Xuân Hiệp

HCM CITY — HCM City has achieved tourism revenues of VNĐ160 trillion (US$6.6 billion) this year, up 25 per cent from 2022 and the highest amount in five years.

Lê Trương Hiền Hòa, deputy director of the city Department of Tourism, attributed the growth to having a wide range of tourism products, leading to higher spending on recreational and discovery activities.

Also having an impact was its linking up with other regions for tourism, frequently working with destinations such as the Mekong Delta and the north-west, he said. 

It made the city a stopover for travellers going to other places.

The third factor was the increased investment in the city’s night-time economy, Hoà said. 

Around 70 per cent of spending by tourists occurs at night as they primarily visit landmarks and have food as part of all-inclusive programmes during the day.

The city recently introduced night tourism activities such as the “District 1 - Night Colours” and “Sleepless in Saigon” tours.

They take tourists through 30 routes and nearly 20 sightseeing spots on a double-decker bus between 11pm and 7am.

According to Nguyễn Khoa Luân, director of Anh Việt Hop on Hop off Vietnam, the city is among the few places in the country that combine multiple factors for nighttime economic development. 

The use of double-decker buses helps tap the nighttime economy, and increasing the frequency and service hours of double-decker buses enhances competitiveness in the region.

Since mid-November, when tourism revenues peak, there have been a series of events. 

Over five million foreign visitors arrived in the city in the first 11 months of 2023, up 44.3 per cent year-on-year and accounting for 50 per cent of the country’s total number.

With flights resuming on all routes and visa policies eased since August the city hopes to achieve even higher revenues in 2024. — VNS