Ho Chi Minh City posted encouraging economic development in April after a slowdown in the first quarter of the year.

Director of the city’s Department of Planning and Investment Le Thi Huynh Mai said the industry and trade sector posted growth in the month, especially tourism and passenger transport.

The city recorded total retail sales of goods and services of over VND95.8 trillion ($4 billion), up 12.2 per cent against the previous month and 6.2 per cent year-on-year. This brought the total value of retail sales in the first four months of the year to more than VND359.5 trillion ($15.2 billion), up 5 per cent year-on-year.

Total revenue from tourism was estimated at more than VND15 trillion ($635 million), a year-on-year increase of 71.6 per cent. More than 338,700 foreign tourists visited the city in April, up 195.2 per cent year-on-year.

The city’s Index of Industrial Production (IIP) rose 3 per cent against March and 8.1 per cent against April last year.

Growth was attributed to the implementation of support policies and measures to help tackle difficulties facing enterprises.