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Saigontourist shrugs off crisis
One of the nation’s leading tourism companies is holding its own despite impacts of the global downturn.
The Saigontourist Holding Company served 658,953 local and international tourists and generated revenues of VND3.8 trillion (US$ 215 million) in the first six months of the year, achieving 46.6 per cent of the annual target, a senior official said on Monday.
Saigontourist General Director Nguyen Huu Tho told a press conference that gross profit reached VND1.2 trillion ($69 million), and VND518.3 billion was paid to the State Budget.
The company has set a target of serving 1.52 million tourists by the end of 2009. Total revenues are expected to reach VND8.15 trillion ($460 million) for a gross profit of VND2.7 trillion ($150 million) and VND1.05 trillion will be paid to the State Budget.
Tho said that Saigontourist’s overseas expansion plans are on course.
Tho said he expected the purchase of a 252-room hotel near San Francisco’s Pier 39 would be completed later this year.
Once the deal is concluded, Saigontourist plans to buy more hotels in Moscow, Tokyo, Berlin and Hong Kong, according to the general director.
In the domestic market, the company will begin construction of the 40-storey, five-star Kim Do Hotel at the end of this year while the new 30-storey Majestic Hotel in District 1 will be completed next year.
Work is also under way on a complex comprising 2,500 rooms in the Thu Thiem new urban area, and an ecotourism site in District 9.
Saigontourist is also investing in upgrading the Sai Gon Fair and Exhibition Centre in District 7. The facility will be able to accommodate 40,000 visitors a day when completed in 2012.
The company is offering discounts of up to 73 per cent at its hotels, restaurants and other facilities as part of its "Saigontourist – Summer Impression" promotional programme, which runs until September 30.
vietnamnews
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