Visitors at the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens
A newly released report by the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens Company, the zoo's operator, shows that it earned revenue of VND128 billion and a profit of nearly VND5.10 billion in 2024, a fall of 6.5 percent and 40 percent, respectively, compared to the same period last year.
The zoo operation has experienced many ups and downs in recent years. Its revenues were slashed to just over VND70 billion in 2020 and to over VND45 billion in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
When it reopened in 2022 after the pandemic, the zoo had a record-high revenue of over VND144 billion. In 2023, it also saw a record profit of up to VND8.40 billion.
At the end of last year, the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden faced a tax debt exceeding VND800 billion (VND33 million) and closure risks due to impending tax enforcement measures.
According to the District 1 Tax Department, as of October 31, 2024, the company owed over VND 846 billion in taxes, including over VND 787 billion in overdue taxes subject to enforcement.
The tax debt stems from a 2014 decision by the HCM City People's Committee, which granted the company a 50-year lease on 158,117 square metres of land at an annual rental rate of VND163.3 billion.
However, Vu Thi Huong Giang, the director of the Saigon Zoo and Botanical Gardens Company, said the zoo operates on a non-profit basis. Its primary mission is to manage and care for a diverse collection of over 4,000 animals and plants, many rare and endangered species.
Giang said the company only actively uses approximately 5,600 square metres of the leased land, while the remaining area is designated for conservation purposes.
She emphasised that enforcing the tax debt would significantly impact animal care and conservation funding, potentially leading to the zoo's closure.
An HCM City Tax Department representative confirmed that city officials and relevant parties have discussed addressing the tax dispute.
Saigon Zoo and Botanical Garden, located on Nguyen Binh Khiem Street in District 1, was established in 1864 and is the country's largest zoo and botanical garden.
