HCM City is expected to receive some 275,000 international tourists this month, bringing the total number of foreign visitors in the first four months of the year to 1.25 million, a year-on-year increase of 9 per cent, according to the city's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Fewer tourists have come in April, the first month of the low-season, with a decline of 52,000 compared with March, but a 10 per cent increase over the same period last year.

Many HCM City-based travel agencies have announced price hikes of 5 to 10 per cent for some tours in winter of 2012 and early 2013 given higher airfares, transport costs and hotel room rates.-VNS