First returning Chinese travelers visit HCM City
VOV.VN - The first group of Chinese tourists in the post-COVID period arrived in Ho Chi Minh City on March 17, following the decision to include Vietnam in the list of countries to which Chinese group tours can be conducted, starting from March 15.
Their arrival saw a group of 16 Chinese tourists enter the country via Tan Son Nhat International Airport, thereby marking the return of Chinese travelers to the southern city after a three-year hiatus caused by the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
They will under an eight-day-and-seven-night tour of Ho Chi Minh City, Da Lat City in Lam Dong province, Nha Trang City in Khanh Hoa province, and Mui Ne in Binh Thuan province.
On their first day in the southern metropolis, the Chinese tourist group visited Notre Dame Cathedral Basilica of Saigon and the Central Post Office. They also wore Ao Dai (Vietnamese traditional long dress) and Non La (palm-leaf conical hat) while posing for photos in front of famous sightseeing spots throughout the city.
Earlier Mong Cai City in Quang Ninh province, Lao Cai province, and Hanoi became the first places in the nation to welcome Chinese travelers after China moved to reopen its borders from March 15.
The arrival of the first group of Chinese visitors is expected to help reactivate the Chinese tourist market following a long period of stagnation caused by the pandemic.
Vietnam received 1.8 million foreign arrivals in just the first two months of the year. With China now resuming outbound tours, the country is expected to exceed the target of welcoming eight million foreign travelers this year.