Annually Vietnam spends about $253.000 to attract foreign travellers. Aiming to gain a status of premier tourist destination, this year Ho Chi Minh City is going to invest more than $629.000 into tourism promotion campaign.

Large festivals will be organized in Ho Chi Minh as a part of the promotion campaign, such as two Flower Festivals, the second Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Festival, the Southern Fruit Festival in the Suoi Tien Tourism Resort, and the International Tourism Exhibition 2006 (ITE 2006).

To attract more tourists the Saigontourist Travel Services Company will conduct a tour from the Ben Duoc tourism resort to the former War Zone D in Tay Ninh province and Can Gio eco-tourism resort.

Exempting foreign visitors from tourist visa requirements for 15-day stay and opening low-cost tours are among numerous tourism promotional policies.

The quality of existing tourism services will be improved, and developing new forms of travelling such as tourism with seminars, eco-tourism and shopping tourism is in the plans for 2006.

A very attractive thing about Vietnam is that you can enjoy high-standard hotel accommodation at a relatively low price, because of the country’s low living costs.

Sources: http://www.vneconomy.com.vn/eng/ , http://www.mofa.gov.vn/en/ , http://vietnamnews.vnagency.com.vn/