HCM City will speed up a plan to develop river tourism in the city, focusing more on developing river tours from Bach Dang Wharf to Can Gio District, said a local tourism official.

Nguyen Viet Anh, head of the Travel Division under the city’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, told the Daily that the department had suggested building three stopover stations in Can Gio alongside opening tours from Bach Dang Wharf to tourist sites in the district by boat and car.

The department has also suggested some tours for tourists to visit shrimp and fish farms in Can Gio, and some special products for cruise passengers from foreign cruise ships like the kayaking service near the Thi Vai port on the Cai Mep River.

“The city government wants to develop tourism in the district by expanding river tours to Can Gio to woo more tourists. We will make fact-finding trips next month as a preparation for opening the first tours to Can Gio late this year,” he said.

The plan to develop river tourism is part of the tourism product development plan of the city. The first Saigon River tour service was launched in January, setting off from Bach Dang Wharf in District 1 to Ham Long Artisan Village in District 2.

More river tour routes are being explored, such as those between Bach Dang Wharf and the city’s outlying district of Cu Chi and the neighboring province of Binh Duong, and another route from the wharf to District 9.

Some companies have clinched deals with Ham Long Artisan Village in District 2 to take tourists to the scenic village, and have launched river tours there. Viet Excursions, for example, has brought foreign cruise passengers to the village, while Indochina Junk Co. Ltd, owner of the Indochina Junk boat, has also made trips to the venue.

“The number of tourists traveling on the route is still small. Service providers need to carry out more marketing activities for the new service,” Anh of the Travel Division said.

So far, some travel companies such as Lua Viet and Saigontourist Travel Service Co. have launched more river tours taking tourists to attractions in HCMC, the Mekong Delta region, and even those in Cambodia. However, these river tours are not organized on a regular basis, but at the tourists’ requests only.

Source: SGT