HCM City receives over 5.2 million foreign visitors in 2016
More than 5.2 million foreign tourists visited Ho Chi Minh City in 2016, a rise of 10 percent against last year, said the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism.
HCM City (VNA)𓆏 – More than 5.2 million foreign tourists visited Ho Chi Minh City in2016, a rise of 10 percent against last year, said the Vietnam NationalAdministration of Tourism.
Meanwhile, thenumber of domestic visitors reached 21.8 million. Gross income of the City’stourism hit 103 trillion VND (4.5 billion USD), increasing 9 percentyear-on-year. HCM City currentlyhas nearly 2,200 accommodation establishments and 1,314 travel agencies(including 647 international travel ones and nine representative offices offoreign travel companies).
The City aims to greet 5.5 million foreign visitors and24 million domestic tourists in 2017 and rake in a total tourism income of 112trillion VND (4.9 billion USD).
In 2015, it received 4.6 million foreign visitors and19.3 million domestic tourists, up 4.6 and 13 percent year-on-year,respectively.
Tourism inspectors in Ho Chi Minh City have fined more than 130 travel and hospitality firms a total of 2 billion VND (89,300 USD) for various violations, according to the city Department of Tourism.
Vietnam welcomed about 6.5 million foreign visitors in the first eight months of this year, a year on year increase of 25.4 percent, according to the National Administration of Tourism.
Vietnam’s southern hub of Ho Chi Minh City welcomed more than 3.61 million foreign visitors in the first nine months of this year, a year-on-year rise of 13 percent.
The number of foreign arrivals to Viet Nam was estimated at over nine million by the end of November this year. The figure was released by the General Statistics Office.
The number of visitors increased by 4.1% compared to the same period last year, while total tourism revenue surged by 48.8%, or nearly 88% of the year’s target.
“There is no more atmospheric way to haul into Vietnam’s twin metropolises as this train rattles through historic cities and swooshes beside spectacular coastlines,” according to Lonely Planet.
All the 240 households in Thieng Lieng hamlet once knew only salt production and aquaculture, but now welcoming tourists has become a source of their joy and income.
The first and only direct service connecting the two countries at the moment is set to operate three times per week using the modern wide-body Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner aircraft.
Mu Cang Chai is home to nearly 83,000 hectares of forest, including almost 60,000 hectares of unspoiled natural woodland. Recognising this potential, local authorities have embraced a holistic strategy that protects biodiversity while promoting tourism.
Phu Quoc ranks among the top 10 leading tourist islands in Asia. As the largest island in Vietnam, it boasts stunning natural beauty, with expansive coral reefs resting beneath the sea and a number of beautiful, poetic beaches such as Sao, Truong, and Khem, known for their fine white sand and crystal-clear waters.
Vietnam's national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines and Vietjet are among the exhibitors, promoting key destinations such as Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, and Phu Quoc, as well as distinctive tourism products.
Alexander Musikhin, Vice President of ATOR and CEO of the Intourist travel agency, highlighted Vietnam as a top destination offering a unique blend of beach holidays and cultural excursions.
According to Seoul’s Tourism Industry Department, approximately 20,000 Vietnamese visitors travel to the city each year for medical treatment. Vietnam consistently ranks among the top 10 countries with the highest number of medical tourists to Seoul.
An analysis of accommodation search data based on check-in dates for June and July revealed that Nha Trang surpassed all other destinations in popularity among Korean users.
The programme is organised by the Khanh Hoa provincial Youth Union and the “Khanh Hoa people speak English” Project, and aims to promote the culture, history, cuisine and other tourism products of Nha Trang – Khanh Hoa to international visitors.
VNAT Director General Nguyen Trung Khanh called visa a golden ticket to pulling in crowds, but he is clear that it needs coordinated efforts across multiple sectors to keep the momentum going in this fast-moving global travel scene.
As a tourism hub, Hanoi is now actively developing strategies to attract Muslim travellers. In recent years, the city has seen a notable uptick in visitors from countries with large Muslim populations.
When tourists witness firsthand the passion and care of farmers, they’re willing to pay higher prices because they see the genuine worth behind every product.
During the first five months, China continued to be Vietnam's largest source market of tourists, followed by the RoK, China’s Taiwan, the US, and Japan.
After more than three months of operation, the popularity of the free tours in Bac Ninh province shows no signs of cooling down. Many tourists return every week in hopes of experiencing all the tours and visiting every destination.
Typical products of Phu Tho are being showcased at the Lao Cai International Travel Mart 2025, held in the northern mountainous province of Lao Cai from June 5-8.
Featuring 130 stalls and delegations from 120 travel agencies representing more than ten countries and territories, the event is expected to provide a platform for establishing partnerships and attracting more visitors to Lao Cai in the future.
Kicking off the festival on the evening of June 7 will be the grand music concert titled “Nha Trang Say Hi”, featuring popular artists from the trending show “Anh Trai Say Hi”. The event will be broadcast live nationwide and conclude with a fireworks display over Nha Trang Bay.
An image of Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: VNA) 
