Differentiating waterway tourism products

A group of 320 MICE tourists (tourism combined with conferences, seminars, exhibitions) from India recently had the opportunity to experience the waterway tourism product from Ho Chi Minh City to My Tho (Tien Giang). Previously, a group of more than 200 international cruise ship passengers also visited and experienced the tourism product on the Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe canal... Ho Chi Minh City's waterway tourism is flourishing, expected to become a product that creates a difference.

New product series waiting for tourists

The group of 320 guests from India of L'Oreal Matrix Group was organized by Asia Trail Travel Company Limited. The special thing, according to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, is that during their stay in the city, the international guests, in addition to visiting famous destinations such as Cu Chi Tunnels, Notre Dame Cathedral, City Post Office... also experienced a river route by high-speed canoe from Ho Chi Minh City to the unique Western region.

With a group of 200 cruise ship passengers visiting the Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe canal tour, Ms. Nguyen Thi Vuong, manager of Nhieu Loc Boat Company Limited, said the tour was designed for visitors to admire the 9 bridges spanning the canal such as Hoang Hoa Tham bridge, Tran Khanh Du bridge, Kieu bridge, Cong Ly bridge... The highlight is that visitors can experience releasing fish on the river to improve the water source, contributing to enhancing the rich ecosystem of the canal. Under the bridges, different types of colorful lights are also installed, creating a new check-in point.

MICE tourists visit Ho Chi Minh City in December 2023, including a schedule to experience river tourism. Photo: BINH AN

"In a relaxing atmosphere, visitors listen to folk melodies and enjoy traditional music on the canal. Tourism products on the canal are competitive with many other tourist destinations, in tours welcoming visitors to Ho Chi Minh City. Currently, international visitors account for more than 50% of visitors on this tourist route of the company" - Ms. Vuong said.

Previously, the first Ho Chi Minh City River Festival was also an opportunity for travel and accommodation businesses to introduce tourism products and services to domestic and international tourists. At the same time, it connected river experiences and tours from the city to the provinces of the West, the Southeast and other countries.

Not only do businesses increase promotion, introduction, and welcome international visitors, but districts, towns, and Thu Duc City also "join in" to exploit new waterway tourism products. At the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Week 2023 that just took place, the city's tourism industry also introduced a series of new, regular waterway tourism products.

Must exploit advantages effectively

Ho Chi Minh City has a great advantage in developing rich and diverse river tourism resources with 4 main rivers: Saigon, Dong Nai, Long Tau and Soai Rap rivers flowing through. Nearly 1,000 km of river routes with the city's canal system connect with neighboring provinces such as Binh Duong, Tay Ninh, Dong Nai, Ba Ria - Vung Tau and especially connect with the Mekong Delta region.

Mr. Nguyen Minh Man, Director of Communications and Marketing of TSTtourist Company, commented that the city has great natural conditions and advantages for developing river tourism. As at TSTtourist, river tourism programs account for about half of Ho Chi Minh City's tour products with diverse products for tourists.

Ms. Bui Thi Ngoc Hieu, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, said that the formation of waterway tourism products has become one of the tourism products that create a difference for the city, meeting the needs of international and domestic tourists. Because waterways are an advantage, a strength of the city, they need to be exploited effectively.

Up to now, the city has over 47 waterway tourism products of more than 18 businesses providing waterway tourism services, with 3 main groups of waterway tourism products including: Short-range tours (Bach Dang wharf area, Saigon port, Nhieu Loc - Thi Nghe area), medium-range tours (Can Gio tours, Cu Chi tours) and long-range tours such as from Bach Dang wharf area to provinces and cities in the Mekong Delta and inter-city transportation to the capital of Cambodia.

Recently, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism held a conference to deploy the Ho Chi Minh City Waterway Tourism Product Development Plan for the period 2023-2025, aiming to diversify products and promote tourism potential. The city is calling for strong investment in infrastructure, technology, wharves, and ship mooring grounds; at the same time, arranging and planning wharves in the general planning development in the area for the period 2021-2030, with a vision to 2045.

"According to experts, developing waterway tourism opens up many opportunities to attract investment capital, stimulate tourism demand and improve people's lives.

Source: https://nld.com.vn/tao-su-khac-biet-cho-san-pham-du-lich-duong-thuy-196231221204125956.htm