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he country reports around 330,000 international arrivals in July, up by 10,280 visitors compared to last month, which show a trend inverse to HCMC's tourism performance in the month, according to latest reports.The Vietnam National Administration for Tourism in its report says July figures brings the total number of foreign arrivals in Vietnam in the first seven months of 2008 to nearly 2.62 million, which shows a year-on-year increase of around 160,000 visitors. An official of the department said that this result was not bad in the low season of the country's inbound tourism and in the current situation of economic slowdown and rising cost. Meanwhile, the tourism industry in HCMC fares poorer. The city's Department of Culture, Sport and Tourism in its latest report about the city's tourism during January-July period says foreign arrivals in July total around 180,000, bringing the total number in the year to date to nearly 1.67 million, up 12% year-on-year. However, based on the result of HCMC's tourism in June, the July number is down by around 23,000. The city's tourism still obtained revenue of around VND16.7 trillion, up 40% year-on-year. La Quoc Khanh, deputy director of the department in a meeting in the middle of this month has showed his worry about the city's tourism, saying the city might fail its year's target of attracting three million international visitors in 2008. "Rising local costs, high fuel surcharge, and economic slowdown are making many travelers to cut down their travel spending," he said. The Asia Pacific Travel Association in its press release early this month has admitted that Asia Pacific travel and tourism is facing serious financial challenges due to a combination of the US dollar depreciation, rising local costs and high fuel surcharges. However, the association forecasts that Asia Pacific tourism will remain generally positive, with growth in international arrivals forecast at 7-8% annually over the 2008-2010 period.
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