HCM City is ready for the peak tourism season. Photo ttdn.vn

HCM CITY - The southern region of Việt Nam saw impressive tourism results in the first quarter of 2024.

The tourist numbers and revenue show that tourism in many provinces and cities in the Southern region is steadily growing.

Stepping into Q2, ready for the peak summer tourism season, relevant authorities and tourism businesses are innovating and diversifying products and services, while also seeking solutions to cope with challenges and difficulties to continue attracting tourists.

According to the HCM City Tourism Department, in the first three months of 2024, the number of domestic tourists coming to the city reached over 8 million, which is an increase of 6.6 per cent compared to the same period in 2023.

The number of international visitors reached over 1.38 million, which is an increase of over 32 per cent.

Total tourism revenue reached about VNĐ44.7 trillion (US$1.78 billion), which is an increase of nearly 24 per cent.

In Kiên Giang province, tourism businesses continue to offer many tours to ecological areas, beaches and islands, attracting many tourists, especially during the New Year and Lunar New Year holidays.

In the first three months of this year, the total number of tourists to Kiên Giang reached over 2.7 million, up over 22 per cent year-on-year.

Similarly, in the Mekong Delta region, Đồng Tháp tourism, with its strengths in tourism products associated with agricultural production experiences and ecotourism attracted 1.15 million tourists in the first quarter of this year.

Total tourism revenue reached VNĐ480 billion, which is an increase of 1.2 per cent.

Although the tourism industry achieved many positive results, demonstrating clear growth momentum, according to tourism representatives, many localities and travel businesses are facing various difficulties, especially with the upcoming peak summer tourism season.

Destinations, tourism products and services are facing higher competition.

Moreover, with the reality of soaring airfare prices, especially during the Hùng Kings' Anniversary and April 30 and May 1 holidays, many tourists are hesitant or considering switching to nearby tourist destinations, with lower costs and flexible transportation means.

They are also considering international destinations that have equivalent expenses to domestic travel.

Tourist Lê Thanh Hương in Hiệp Bình Phước Ward in Thủ Đức City shared that her group of friends plan to travel to Phú Quốc during the April 30 and May 1 holidays.

After checking the airfare prices, her group is considering buying train tickets from HCM City to Phan Thiết.

They will go to Rạch Giá City in Kiên Giang, then take a high-speed boat to Phú Quốc on a different occasion.

New tours and related services combined with tourism will be rolled out this year. VNA Photo

Innovating products, boosting demand

According to Lê Trương Hiền Hoà, deputy director of the HCM City Tourism Department, with the goal of building and innovating attractive tourism products, the 20th HCM City Tourism Festival, taking place from April 4 to 7, is eagerly awaited by many tourists to find and buy tours with preferential policies.

Tourism businesses will introduce about 400 tours and related services combined with tourism at the festival.

Various transportation options for tours such as cars, trains, high-speed boats and airplanes, along with suggestions for suitable experiences, will be offered as well.

Saigontourist Travel Services Company introduces many domestic and international tour packages to Phan Thiết, Đà Lạt, Nha Trang, Phú Yên, Côn Đảo, Vũng Tàu and the Southwest region with flexible transportation means and diverse experiences.

Similarly, Vietravel provides tourists with various experiential tour packages with attractive discounted prices in an effort to stimulate demand and kick off the summer tourism season early.

Among them, the company introduces many tourism products for the domestic market, for families and for groups of friends.

Notable products include five-star train travel, “Go Green" tours and the “Essence of Vietnamese cuisine" programme, which allows tourists to savor delicious dishes from each region.

Kiên Giang tourism will continue to promote the development of new products, connect more international flights and create more favorable conditions in attracting tourists, relevant authorities said. - VNS