Vietnam’s southern economic hub is proceeding with plans to cash in on foreign tourism, the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Department has said.

The department will publish, by year end, shopping maps to help foreign visitors find their way around the city for shopping.

To ensure visitors’ health, it worked with other agencies to set up an information mechanism to guide tourists to standard restaurants.

The department and tourism company Saigontourist Co will soon launch a new road tour linking HCMC with Bangkok and Phnom Penh.

The city will join hands with other provinces including Binh Phuoc, Long An, Ninh Thuan, Binh Thuan and Khanh Hoa to exploit tourism attractions.

It will host the 2005 International Tourism Exhibition in October