The nipa palm-inspired bridge, connecting Bach Dang Wharf with the emerging Thu Thiem central square, is expected to open around the Lunar New Year holiday in 2027.
Businesses say the bridge could attract more visitors to the waterfront, creating opportunities for river buses, sightseeing boats, floating restaurants and cruises.
Nguyen Kim Toan, director of Thuong Nhat Company, which operates the city's river bus service, said the bridge could improve access to the waterfront and encourage visitors to explore river-based attractions.
Pham Ha, chairman of cruise operator LuxGroup, said the biggest opportunity lay in connecting riverside activities into seamless tourist experiences.
Visitors could walk across the bridge, explore Thu Thiem, dine by the river and return to the city centre by boat, provided wharves, public transport and ticketing services were better integrated.
Ha forecast that passenger numbers for waterway tourism services could rise by around 20 per cent by year-end and 30 per cent next year, although these remain business projections.
He also warned that the bridge's 10-metre navigational clearance must be assessed alongside tidal conditions, vessel heights and clearances at other bridges to ensure uninterrupted river journeys.
According to the HCM City Department of Tourism, the city had around 150 waterway tourism operators and more than 300 vessels during 2023-2025.
Passenger numbers rose from approximately 500,000 in 2023 to an estimated 600,000 in 2025. However, inner-city waterway tourism generated only about VND 300 billion (USD 11.4 million) annually, a small share of the city's VND 260 trillion tourism revenue in 2025.
An Son Lam, chairman of the HCM City Waterway Tourism Association, said three additional cruise and restaurant vessels were expected to enter service by the end of the year.
However, limited berthing capacity in central HCM City could constrain expansion as more operators invest in new vessels.
Low bridge clearances also restrict access for larger restaurant boats along some inner-city routes.
The association has urged transport and tourism agencies to align new vessel investments with wharf capacity and navigational conditions to support sustainable growth.
