Backpacker Quarter On The Go
By staff writers
Pham Ngu Lao is a favorite place that foreign tourists often choose when they come to HCMC. Photo: La Tuan Anh.
Stretching out on some streets in Pham Ngu Lao Ward, the backpacker area covers many narrow and long alleys. A survey conducted by the ward’s authorities shows that every day this area attracts nearly 2,000 foreign budget travelers, obtaining an annual revenue of over VND8 trillion.
According to the survey, the average length of tourists’ stay in this area is one week with average expenditure of VND12 million per trip per person. After the stay in the backpacker area, many tourists leave for other destinations in Vietnam.
Strong tourism potential
The figures were given in a development plan for the Pham Ngu Lao tourism quarter in the 2010-2020 period by the HCMC University of Economics and the People’s Committee of District 1 last year.
Currently, there are three main groups of visitors in this area in Pham Ngu Lao Ward, comprising those with permanent jobs from the countries within 2-4 hours flying time from HCMC, those coming for temporary jobs in the city, and those for tourism and entertainment.
Pham Ngu Lao Ward now has more than 1,000 businesses related to tourism activities, including over 100 travel agents, and over 200 low-cost hotels and guesthouses. Additionally, there are also mini restaurants, bistros, souvenir shops and art galleries serving budget tourists. All add more colors and energy to this crowded quarter.
The leading products of the area are lodging services, open tours and several shopping and entertainment products. The most effective promotion channel includes websites of tourism agencies and the famous guidebooks on Vietnam such as Lonely Planet.
La Quoc Khanh, deputy director of the HCMC Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said Pham Ngu Lao tourist area has many advantages and potentials for developing tourism. “However, over the past time, the quarter was formed spontaneously upon customers’ demands. It’s time to have a well-planned project to develop this area,” he added.
The service and restaurant businesses in the quarter are spontaneous but still appealing with its own color of a backpacker quarter.
Foreign tourists, especially those with low-income from Western countries, are not interested in luxurious and modern hotels or restaurants, but prefer staying at hostels in bustling streets and dining at restaurants with reasonable prices, according to an inbound tour guide. He said that tourists want to explore the daily life of locals on their own free and easy tours to save money. Therefore, Ta Hien Quarter in Hanoi and Pham Ngu Lao Quarter in HCMC are the two favorite places for most foreign tourists.
“The fact that a huge number of arrivals and departures in Pham Ngu Lao backpacker area every single day increases by 15% per year and its big gained profit boast the quarter’s strong potentials to develop an original tourism type for HCMC,” said Nguyen Duc Tri from Faculty of Commerce-Tourism-Marketing, University of Economics in HCMC.
In his opinion, backpack tourism type was formed long time ago in many countries worldwide and contributed a huge budget to each nation. In Southeast Asian countries, this type has been developed such as Thailand, Malaysia, Singapore, Indonesia, the Philippines, Laos, Cambodia and Vietnam.
Expansion and investment
The city’s tourism authority said despite its spontaneous feature, the backpacker area has developed strongly over the past 10 years and thus needs more expansion and investment. After the planning, many follow-up actions will be done to develop the quarter into a distinct tourism area for free and easy travelers in HCMC.
In addition to security and transport improvement, multiple forms of entertainment will be enhanced along with tourism products, said Nguyen Viet Anh, head of the Travel Division under the city’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
“We plan to promote the nighttime culture and entertainment events for tourists at September 23 Park (in Pham Ngu Lao Ward) and seek assistance from the city’s authorities to develop a distinct tourism area,” he said.
There are some ideas suggesting the business households in the backpacker area such as bistros and karaoke bars be allowed to close doors later than those in other areas. Some services can operate 24/7 instead of opening till midnight like other areas.
Dang Thi Ne, general director of Tran Dang Travel Service-Trading Co., told the local press: “It is necessary to set up tourism and service criteria based on supervision index so as to create a network for a standard tourism and service system by connecting advantage and potential of each company. The connection among companies will develop the quality and prices of services as well as build prestige.”
To build a more civilized and polite backpacker area, the authorities of Pham Ngu Lao Ward formed self-management groups of motorbike taxi drivers and room promotion team. “We often open classes to teach local residents and staff of the ward foreign languages, communications and laws,” Du Quang Nghia, chairman of the People’s Committee of Pham Ngu Lao Ward, said.
According to the HCMC Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the backpacker quarter needs to be built in accordance with authentic Vietnamese culture. So, hotels, motels and guesthouses need to be constructed and decorated as typical old Saigon and the southern region. The surrounding landscapes should depict Saigon old style. Souvenir shops have to sell typical Vietnamese products made of rattan, bamboo, lacquer, embroidery and brocade.
Moreover, a pocket guidebook should be composed for international tourists to easily communicate. Street folk festivals need also to be organized on weekends or New Year’s celebration. In addition, passenger stations and bus routes need to be rearranged for tourists to travel easily from Pham Ngu Lao area to other destinations in the city. Traffic and infrastructure will also be upgraded.
Establishing specialized tourist areas is not only an idea of HCMC’s tourism sector, but also one of tourism development strategies of the city. Le Nhut Tan, former deputy director of the HCMC Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, once said: “After Pham Ngu Lao backpacker area, the city will apply this method to develop Tan Binh area where a large number of Korean people and travelers are staying, and Cho Lon area where many residents of Chinese origin are living.”
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