Tourism industry rushes to prepare for 30-4 holiday

On the afternoon of April 11, Mr. Tran Quang Duy, Director of Penguin Travel Service Company, said he was leading a group of about 60 guests, who are veterans from various provinces and cities, to Ho Chi Minh City on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day.

Special tour recalls heroic memories

These special tourists will have the opportunity to visit some cultural and historical destinations of Ho Chi Minh City such as "Saigon Special Forces - Legendary Basements", Cu Chi Tunnels, the Independence Palace (Reunification Hall) National Monument... In addition, guests can also visit the city on a double-decker bus and experience Metro Line 1. "This April, the company has planned to serve about 1,500 - 2,000 visitors to Ho Chi Minh City to explore cultural and historical destinations" - Mr. Duy informed.

Saigontourist Travel Service Company has also just launched a special tour "50 years - Return to the beloved South" to bring veterans from all over the country to Ho Chi Minh City to visit the old battlefield and combine tourism. "We have organized a series of special programs for guests who have gone through the fiery days, contributing to the great victory of the spring of 1975. From Lao Cai, Tuyen Quang to Binh Duong, Binh Phuoc, Dong Nai..., all will reunite with a 3-day, 2-night journey in Ho Chi Minh City" - Ms. Doan Thi Thanh Tra, Deputy General Director of Saigontourist Travel Service Company, introduced.

Tourists visit destinations in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: LAM GIANG

According to Ms. Tra, the special tour not only includes visiting historical sites but also meets historical witnesses. Guests will also witness the changes and growth of the city that was once a battlefield.

This year's April 30 holiday has a special meaning as it marks the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification - a sacred milestone in the nation's history. Ms. Nguyen Nguyet Van Khanh, Marketing Director of Vietravel Tourism Company, said that capturing this spirit, the company has designed many itineraries with historical and cultural themes, while promoting inner-city tourism products in Ho Chi Minh City. "The number of customers booking tours has increased significantly compared to the same period last year. Tourists not only look for short vacations but also want to experience, feel and review history through each journey," Ms. Khanh said.

Tourist center of the country

Many other travel companies are also busy welcoming domestic and international visitors to Ho Chi Minh City these days. At many destinations in the city center such as the War Remnants Museum, Reunification Hall, Ho Chi Minh City Post Office, Notre Dame Cathedral, Nguyen Hue walking street... are bustling with visitors, shopping, exploring the city on double-decker buses, cyclos...

The 5-day April 30 holiday this year has created favorable conditions for the historical destination of Ho Chi Minh City to become the center of tourism in the country. Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu, Marketing and Communications Director of Vietluxtour Travel Joint Stock Company, commented that this year's April 30 holiday has a suitable break time for a short vacation. At this time, the number of domestic and international visitors to Ho Chi Minh City tends to increase quite well. This travel company has launched more than 10 tours to cultural and historical destinations in and out of the city for a period of half a day to 3 days, depending on the route.

Photo: LAM GIANG

At Ben Thanh Tourist Service Joint Stock Company, the number of customers interested in learning about free walking tours in Ho Chi Minh City, Cu Chi tours and Tay Ninh tours increased by about 15%-20% compared to previous months.

This year's April 30th holiday is not only an important political and historical event but also an opportunity for the Ho Chi Minh City tourism industry to spread cultural and historical values ​​to residents and tourists. Mr. Le Truong Hien Hoa, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, informed that the city has proactively implemented a series of synchronous activities from product development, event preparation, communication to tourism promotion. The city's Department of Tourism organized a contest "Designing a tourism program to celebrate the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification" and awarded 6 prizes to businesses, groups and individuals who were creative in developing tourism products.

"The city focuses on exploiting its unique historical and cultural values ​​through the development of tourist routes associated with traditional imprints. This is a creative and educational approach, oriented towards the roots; opening up vivid perspectives on a city that is both modern and rich in historical and cultural values, making a strong impression on domestic and international tourists," said Mr. Le Truong Hien Hoa.

With more than 1.6 million international visitors and 8.5 million domestic visitors in the first quarter of 2025, Ho Chi Minh City has had a positive start to the year. In the coming time, the city's Department of Tourism has identified the renewal of destinations with strong historical and cultural imprints as a priority task, combined with creative experience models to attract tourists.

Travel itinerary into experiential classroom

To serve tourists on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Liberation of the South and National Reunification Day, at the Vietnam International Tourism Fair 2025 taking place in Hanoi, travel companies have introduced a series of special tours with historical themes.

The highlight of these is the "Legend of Heroes" journey of Vietluxtour Travel Joint Stock Company - a product that won a high prize in the tourism program design contest organized by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism. The 4-day, 3-night tour takes visitors from Ho Chi Minh City to historical sites associated with the resistance war such as the Reunification Hall, Cu Chi Tunnels (Ho Chi Minh City), and the Southern Central Bureau Base (Tay Ninh). The space of rubber forests, campfire nights, and conversations with veterans promise to turn the journey into a vivid historical experience class.

Other products such as the tour "Southern Imprint", "Eastern Region - Land of Fire", "Memories of Sac Forest" not only recreate history, but also help visitors feel the depth of culture and national spirit.

Y.Anh

Developing green destinations to elevate Vietnamese tourism

Speaking at the forum "Developing green destinations - Enhancing Vietnam tourism" organized by the Vietnam Tourism Association on April 11 in Hanoi, Mr. Vu The Binh, Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association, stated that in the context of the world facing unprecedented challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss, environmental pollution and resource depletion, the tourism industry is also forced to transform. Green transformation in tourism is no longer an option, but a mandatory requirement if one wants to develop sustainably, responsibly and have a future.

Mr. Patrick Harvemann, Deputy Resident Representative of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Vietnam, acknowledged that tourism has become an important economic sector of Vietnam with an impressive revenue of VND840,000 billion in 2024. Enhancing Vietnam's tourism through developing green destinations is not only an aspiration but also an inevitable requirement and a strategic opportunity.

Mr. Patrick Harvemann said that the green transformation of tourism in Vietnam needs to focus on four issues: green planning; effective destination management; plastic waste-free and low-carbon tourism; and nature-based sustainable tourism. UNDP is ready to support the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Vietnam Tourism Association to make Vietnam a responsible and competitive tourism destination.

Y.Anh

Source: https://nld.com.vn/nganh-du-lich-cap-tap-chuan-bi-dai-le-30-4-19625041121534295.htm