Southern localities preparing for tourism upswing in 2024
With impressive tourism recovery in 2023, shown in the substantial increase in both tourist arrivals and tourism revenue, localities in the Southeastern and Mekong Delta regions have made huge plans for 2024, solidifying their tourism brand, developing attractive offerings, and professional services.
2023 – a bonanza year for tourism sector
The southeastern localities of Ho Chi Minh City, Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Binh Phuoc, Binh Duong, Dong Nai and Tay Ninh earned more than VND180.56 trillion (US$7.35 billion) from hosting over 65.3 million tourist arrivals in 2023, up 22% and 18% year-on-year, respectively.
Last year, Ho Chi Minh City organised a kaleidoscope of vibrant tourism events and festivals such as Vietnamese Tet festival, Ao Dai festival and River festival, which brought interesting new experiences to visitors.
Ba Ria-Vung Tau boasting strength in resort and cultural tourism, and Tay Ninh bestowed with stunning natural landscapes also witnessed strong growth in tourism revenue.
Tourist attractions in Mekong Delta also impressed visitors with their standout cultural, spiritual and eco-tourism products. Almost all localities in the region maintained their lustre with the number of arrivals and amount of tourism earning escalating.
Striving for new targets in 2024
The tourism sector of the southern localities has outlined specific measures to attract more visitors in 2024.
Ho Chi Minh City will continue joining hands with localities nationwide to branch out tourism offerings, while focusing on improving the quality of healthcare, waterway, golf and community-based tourism. Besides, tourism promotion events and programmes will be organised to introduce the city’s tourist destinations in potential and key markets.
Ba Ria-Vung Tau will roll out a project to diversify tourism models that are able to create added value, and contribute to affirming the province's tourism brand, attracting more tourists and encouraging them to pay more and lengthen their stay.
At least one night-time tourism model that highlights local typical products and services will be developed in Xuyen Moc and Con Dao districts and Vung Tau and Ba Ria cities this year. By 2030, night entertainment complexes will be set up in Xuyen Moc and Vung Tau while local night-time tourism brands will be formed and developed, making contributions to promoting high-quality and sustainable tourism.
Meanwhile in Kien Giang province, the Department of Tourism eyes 9.2 million tourist arrivals, and expects to gain VND20 trillion (US$814.3 million) from tourism services.
Accordingly, the province will develop high-quality accommodations, top-notch eco-resorts and entertainment zones, and improving service quality. Along with community-based tourism, it will develop traditional craft and OCOP products so as to diversify and increase the attractiveness to local tourism offerings.
Targeting 4.9 million visitors, Bac Lieu province will concentrate on completing and improving service quality in several tourist destinations, attracting investments in Tac Say tourism site and the Lap Dien bird sanctuary.
The province will also capitalise on its traditional craft and agricultural production to shape up unique tourism products.
