Upon addressing the event, Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, underscored the importance of the scheme in concretising the joint statement on elevating joint ties to a comprehensive strategic partnership, with tourism being one of the top 10 priority areas for co-operation.

The event has also created a wealth of opportunities to increase the number of tourists between the two countries moving forward.

Hoa affirmed that with the new visa policy, Vietnam always looks forward to welcoming the Vietnamese community and American tourists to experience the significant changes which have taken place both in Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam as well.

She called on American tourists to choose Ho Chi Minh City as their first destination as they can pay a visit to all Vietnamese provinces and cities, as well as to other regional countries, through the southern hub.

Diverse activities have been held during the event, including a workshop introducing new Vietnamese destinations and products, tourism projects aimed at calling on American investors, as well as Business to-Business (B2B) meetings to strengthen connectivity among businesses of the two countries.

A delegation of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism is scheduled to join the IMEX America 2023 Fair taking place at Mandalay Bay resort in Las Vega from October 17 to October 19.

They are expected to host a press conference with American reporters and press in a bid to introduce and elevate the country’s image and its people as a means of attracting more American tourists back to explore Vietnam and Ho Chi Minh City moving forward.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, the US has consistently been among the top 10 Vietnamese tourism markets over recent years.

In 2019, the country welcomed about 746,000 American visitors, with Ho Chi Minh City receiving more than half a million visitors from this market.