Ho Chi Minh City Overnight cruises with 100-200 rooms, small wooden boats carrying 10-50 visitors along the river... will used for water tourism development until 2025.
The above plan has just been stated by Department of Tourism of Ho Chi Minh City in a report to the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City on results of waterway tourism development in the period 2017-2020 on December 2. The Department has set a target that by 2025, water tourism will reach 1.5 million visitors and grow by 10-15% per year. The revenue in 2025 will reach 3,000 billion VND, increasing by 15% per year, contributing 11% to the GRDP of the city's tourism.
To achieve this goal, there will be several stages. Specifically, in 2022-2023, the Department will develop many new models such as overnight cruise with 100-200 rooms to experience the Saigon River, small wooden boats carrying 10-50 guests to connect with small canals for Tourists to visit historical sites, communal houses, pagodas and handicraft villages. Floating market at Tan Thuan bridge area every Saturday and Sunday will be provided. This area has 3-5 boats to buy and sell goods, so the Department wants to diversify entertainment services on watercraft, support river tour operators to make river transportation a mode of transportation in coming times.
Entertainment clubs are also connected such as yachts, inflatable boats, kayaks... to attract tourists and create a bustling atmosphere on river route. Ho Chi Minh City has tested the night bus tour at the end of 2021 from Bach Dang Wharf (District 1) to Binh An Wharf (Thu Duc City) and runs until 9pm on weekends.
In addition, HCMC will continue to develop existing products. Specifically, the tourist route to District 7 (Bach Dang Wharf - Saigon River - Te canal - Ong Lon canal - Dia canal), increases experience services such as kayaking, canoeing (at Saigon rowing station). The Bach Dang - Can Gio tourist route will be expanded with Tac Suat - Vung Tau sea ferry to become an inter-provincial tour, attracting visitors to Southeast area of Vietnam.
The type of community tourism in Thieng Lieng hamlet, Thanh An island commune is also invested into a accommodation and tourist experience. The waterway tourism route from Ho Chi Minh City to Tien Giang and Ben Tre by speedboat or water bus will also upgrade existing piers.
In the period of 2023-2025, there will be more thematic roadmaps such as history, culture, urban development.
The above plan requires the completion of the planning of riverbanks, canals, ports, inland waterways as well as infrastructure. Projects such as rehabilitation of Nam Ly dam, Ben Nghe culvert and dredging of Lo Gom canal will soon be completed so as not to obstruct waterways. The water environment needs to be improved to reduce pollution and increase beauty of the city. The Department of Tourism also proposed the Departments of Planning, Architecture, Transport and Natural Resources and Environment to complete projects to ensure the implementation of services, trade and tourism...
In the period of 2017-2020, the waterway tourism industry has diversified products including short-range river tourism (inner city tour with a radius under 10 km), medium range (inner city tour with a radius of 10-60 km), long-range tour, etc. (Inter-municipal); sea travel. However, the total number of tourists gradually decreased from 845,000 in 2018 to 297,000 in 2020. The reasons are said to be incomplete planning, inadequate management mechanism, limited infrastructure, and water environment...
