Work began Saturday on a tourism service center in Hue that will cost more than US$2 million to build.

The Hue Travel Plaza with five stories and a basement is expected to provide tourism and high-end commercial services to both foreign and domestic visitors to the central region.

The Hue Tourism Joint Stock Company and Ben Thanh Corporation, a major tour operator based in Ho Chi Minh City, are investing VND43 billion ($2.25 million) in the project.

Project contractor Long Viet Joint Stock Company said the 5,200-sq.m center can be put into use in early 2011.