Located at 86 Lê Thánh Tôn Street in District 1, the HCM City People’s Committee and People’s Council headquarters has become a popular attraction for both local and foreign tourists. — VNS Photo Bồ Xuân Hiệp

HCM CITY — The HCM City People’s Committee and People’s Council headquarters welcomed a record-breaking 2,500 local and foreign visitors in just two days (December 30 and 31), the highest number since its opening in April 2023.

During the New Year Holiday, the venue extended its tour hours, opening its doors to guests throughout the afternoon and into the evening, from 8:00am to 5:40pm. 

Tours are scheduled 15 minutes apart, with a maximum of 40 visitors per tour.

Visitors have the opportunity to explore various parts of the building, such as the main hall, the international reception room on the ground floor and the second floor, meeting room number 5, the balcony and the functionality of the complex during an hour-long tour. 

They are also able to visit several exhibitions featuring beautiful landscapes.

In addition to landmarks such as the Opera House, the Central Post Office, and the HCM City People’s Court, the Headquarters of the People’s Council and People’s Committee is among the remaining French architectural legacies of HCM City. 

In 2020, the building was recognised by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism as a national artistic architectural heritage site.

Local people and visitors can register for a trip to visit the 114-year-old national architectural and artistic building at travel agents, the website www.visithcmc.vn, or by scanning the QR code.

According to the HCM City Department of Tourism, the number of foreign holidaymakers interested in the venue has steadily increased.

The building was first opened to visitors during the National Reunification (April 30) and May Day (May 1) holidays in 2023. 

During the National Reunification and May Day holidays, the headquarters welcomed nearly 1,500 visitors, and during the National Holiday (September 2) holiday, it welcomed over 1,600 visitors. 

Located at 86 Lê Thánh Tôn Street in District 1, the building was built in 1909 based on designs by French architect Femand Gardès modeled on bell towers in northern France. 

The headquarters of the People’s Committee of HCM City, previously known as the HCM City Hall or “L'Hôtel de Ville”, is one of the oldest major buildings in the southern metropolis. 

Việt Nam’s largest city achieved tourism revenue of VNĐ160 trillion (US$6.6 billion) in 2023, up 25 per cent from 2022 and the highest amount in five years. 

With flights resuming on all routes and visa policies eased since August in 2023, the city hopes to achieve even higher revenue in 2024. — VNS