Int’l cruise passengers visit Vietnam in droves in year-end period
Int’l cruise passengers visit Vietnam in droves in year-end period
Vietnam has witnessed an upsurge in the number of international cruise ship visitors during the final two months of the year, enabling the country to move closer toward its goal of serving over 12 million international tourist arrivals in 2023.
International tourists from the Celebrity Solstice cruise ship that arrived in Vietnam on November 10, 2023. Photo: B.C. / Tuoi Tre |
A representative of Saigontourist Travel Service Company, a subsidiary of Vietnam’s Saigontourist Group, said it will serve international visitors from three cruise ships operated by the U.S.’ cruise line Celebrity Cruises between November 10 and 26 this year.
Of them, the Celebrity Solstice cruise vessel transporting 2,700 international visitors from the U.S., Canada, the UK recently arrived in Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province, southern Vietnam to explore popular Vietnamese destinations such as Nha Trang, Hue, and Ha Long from November 10 to 14.
This cruise ship will revisit Vietnam between November 18 and 22 during which international tourists boarding the ship will visit Ha Long, Hue, and Ba Ria-Vung Tau.
By the end of this month, the Celebrity Millennium cruise ship is scheduled to arrive in Hue City of central Thua Thien Hue Province, bringing 2,100 international tourists to visit some destinations in central Vietnam in three days.
During their stays in Vietnam, these groups of tourists will join tours to explore urban cities, learn about Vietnamese history, and experience the local culture and food.
Data from the General Statistics Office showed that the volume of international visitors to Vietnam by air, sea, and road in the January-October period this year rose 4.2-fold against the same period last year.
In Ho Chi Minh City, its tourism authority said the southern metropolis welcomed more than 30 million tourists during the said ten months and earned some VND140 trillion (US$5.7 billion) in tourism revenue.
The number of international visitors accounted for over 4.12 million, reaching 82 percent of the city’s 2023 target.
The southern city anticipated that more foreign tourists would flock to the city during the rest of the year, as the city has entered the year-end festive season during which a host of cultural, sports and tourism events will take place.
The third Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Week is set to start from December 4 to 10, with a wide selection of events and activities expected to offer unforgettable experiences to visitors, including the Techcombank Ho Chi Minh City International Marathon and activities to explore the city via doodle art.
In related news, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism recently revised upward its target of welcoming international visitors in 2023 from eight million to around 12-13 million arrivals.
