The society, under the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association, brings together businesses, organisations, and individuals operating tourist transportation, restaurant boats, travel agencies, and other waterway tourism services.

An Son Lam, director of Indochina Junk Co., Ltd., was elected chairman of the society.

The Saigon River has much room for development, and effective exploitation requires the cooperation of the tourism association, the city Department of Tourism, and other government agencies, he said.

The goal is to elevate the city’s tourism industry and contribute to socio-economic development, he added.

The society will focus on connecting businesses, standardising service quality, improving the quality of vessels and port infrastructure, and building a healthy competitive business environment.

It will act as a bridge between businesses and government agencies, compiling suggestions and proposing solutions to overcome difficulties and enable waterway tourism activities.

It will help members develop green and safe waterway tourism products that align with international trends.

Nguyen Kim Toan, director of Thuong Nhat Co Ltd and deputy president of the society, said the Saigon River is increasingly a strategic connecting axis from the upstream to the sea, opening up opportunities for the creation of new tourism products.

In recent years, the city’s waterway tourism has maintained steady growth, with tourism products and routes growing by an average of 10–15% annually.

Nguyen Thi Khanh, deputy president of the Vietnam Tourism Association and president of the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association, said travel agencies, members of the tourism association, and the city government are working together to exploit and preserve the immense advantages of the Saigon River through unique tourism products.

After its merger with Ba Ria – Vung Tau and Binh Duong provinces, the city’s waterway system now extends to Binh Duong, Ba Ria – Vung Tau, and Con Dao, along with its canal system, demonstrating the potential of the waterways that need to be exploited systematically and comprehensively to create a special impression on domestic and international tourists./.