HCM City targets welcoming 33 million tourists in 2021. Photo courtesy of nld.com.vn

 HCM CITY — HCM City targets having 33 million tourists visit the city in 2021.

The HCM City Department of Tourism on Friday, in collaboration with the city Tourism Association and Tân Sơn Nhất International Airport, held a welcome ceremony for the first visitors to HCM City in 2021.

About nine tourists departing from Hà Nội and Côn Đảo on Việt Nam Airlines flights VN7245, BL6025 and 0V8080 arrived in HCM City on New Year’s Day.

Ten other passengers from Vietjet Air VJ127 and Bamboo Airways QH203 came from Hà Nội.

The first visitors to land in HCM City received round-trip domestic flight tickets and travel vouchers, along with multiple discounts from travel agencies and tourism services in HCM City.

Nguyễn Thị Ánh Hoa, director of the city Department of Tourism, said the welcome ceremony is one of the key activities promoting the annual campaign “Thành phố Hồ Chí Minh xin chào - Hello HCM City”.

“The tourism industry in HCM City looks forward to efficient control of the COVID-19 pandemic from authorities. 2021 is expected to be the year of recovery for the domestic market and reopening of the international market in the following years. The first visitors this year mark the beginning of HCM City’s goal to reach 33 million tourists in 2021,” she said.

Hoa added that in an effort to develop HCM City to become a leading tourism city in Asia, the department has planned new tourism products and events to attract more visitors.

Some notable events include the 8th HCM City Áo dài Festival and HCM City Tourism Day, along with tours at old Sài Gòn’s relics.

Last year, the city tourism market suffered greatly from the COVID-19 pandemic. The total number of international visitors to HCM City in 2020 was 1.3 million, down 84.8 per cent year on year, while the number of domestic travellers to HCM City was 15.8 million, a decrease of 48.45 per cent year on year. 

Total tourism revenue was estimated at VNĐ84,512 billion, down 39.66 per cent compared to 2019. - VNS