Tourism is an industry that Ho Chi Minh City focuses on recovering from the pandemic, in which night tourism, a great potential for economy, cannot be ignored.
However, the spontaneous development and lack of emphasis are preventing this field from achieving the expected success.
Every day, after 5 p.m., at Bui Vien walking street, Nguyen Hue walking street or Ben Thanh night market… begins to be bustling with tourists to visit and shop. According to small businesses, compared to the end of 2021, the number of visitors has recovered significantly.
“If Vietnamese tourists, the recovery is about 60-70%, and international visitors are about 20-30%. The busiest time frame is from 7:30 am – 3 am,” said Ms. Dang Thi Minh Phuong, a small trader on Bui Vien Street, Ho Chi Minh City, said.
Bui Vien pedestrian street is bustling at night. (Photo: NLD)
According to research and calculations from many travel agencies, nighttime economic activities can bring in 2-3 times more revenue than daytime for the tourism industry as well as the associated commercial service industries.
“Ho Chi Minh City is ranked 19th in Asia, 3rd in Southeast Asia and first in Vietnam in terms of nightlife activities, through which we can see how attractive the nightlife is. In the tourism development strategy of Ho Chi Minh City until 2030, night tourism products are selected as the group to make a difference for the city”, said Mr. Nguyen Minh Tri, Chief of the Office of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, emphasized.
Despite many advantages, the obvious potential for economic development as well as favorable mechanisms and policies, the night economy in Ho Chi Minh City still does not have any special highlights.
“It’s just small, discrete, no connection. We have shopping malls, commercial centers, but these shopping centers also close early. Food is just a small restaurant, there are no streets as well as shopping, no brand name, but only small souvenir stalls, poor quality, and prices are difficult for tourists to choose,” said Mr. Nguyen Huu Y Yen, General Director of Saigontourist Travel Service Co., Ltd.
“There is a weakness in the implementation, which is that there is no integration between departments. The story of the night economy is not just about the Department of Tourism offering streets and tours to attract, nor can it be just The Department of Planning and Architecture suggesting which areas should be developed, but we need to have an integrated place to work together for development”, Dr. Trinh Tu Anh, University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, commented.
According to experts, the city should soon have a common orientation to shape the development of all activities of the night economy such as shopping, culture, entertainment, etc. In particular, in order to develop a sustainable night economy in Ho Chi Minh City, not only relying on international tourism, but it is important to create its own local identity, attracting domestic residents to explore and have fun, from local residents gradually spread and resonated in the international community.
@ Cafef
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Source: Vietnam Insider