These days, the beach in Vung Tau ward, Con Dao Special Zone (HCMC) has become a favorite destination for locals and tourists to check in. After the merger, HCMC has integrated many more famous destinations, bringing great advantages to tourism .
Many advantages
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, after merging with Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau , the new Ho Chi Minh City will not only increase in area and population, but also create an economic - tourism space. The new city has all the elements: modern urban area, advanced industry, resort islands and traditional culture.
Within the new geographical area, Ho Chi Minh City owns up to 681 resources that can become tourist destinations, with a wide-spread structure and clear zoning by nature: from urban, craft villages, industrial, riverside to islands. The urban space stands out with a system of architectural heritage, modern museums, traditional markets, street food , creative spaces and festivals, which are places where MICE tours (conferences, seminars, resorts), city tours, cultural tourism, etc. are strongly developed.
Industrial space - craft villages - riverside is a potential area for industrial tourism. Sea and island resort space with coastal resort system, golf course, nature reserve and health tourism is the foundation for high-end resort products.
This is the time for Ho Chi Minh City to immediately start building new tourism products, connecting and expanding the scale compared to before. For example, with nearly 93,000 accommodation rooms, from high-end hotels to homestays, eco-resorts, along with a system of shopping centers, international hospitals, golf courses, entertainment areas... the city is fully capable of welcoming large-scale domestic guests and high-end international guests.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, said that the city's tourism industry will implement the model of "each commune and ward has a typical tourism activity" to maximize the cultural values and resources in the area. It can be a tourist destination, a souvenir, an experience journey, a festival...
Ho Chi Minh City is promoting the renewal of traditional products by linking them with festivals, cultural and sporting events of high scale and experience, contributing to creating emotions and cultural depth for tourism products. Specialized tourism types such as medical tourism, high-end MICE tourism or digital heritage tourism are being oriented to develop strongly.
"Focusing on investing in these types of products not only helps diversify products but also creates distinct competitive advantages, contributing to affirming Ho Chi Minh City's position as a specialized destination, attracting high-value customer segments," said Ms. Anh Hoa.
Market positioning, customer segmentation
Many businesses expect that the new space in Ho Chi Minh City will help them build and deploy more new tourism products more conveniently.
Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu, Vietluxtour Travel Company, informed that the merger of provinces and cities brings opportunities to renew tourism products quite comprehensively in the markets of the North, Southeast and West, including Ho Chi Minh City. In the early third quarter, Vietluxtour will introduce to tourists a new set of Vietnam tourism products with unique routes, contributing to promoting destinations.
According to Mr. Pham Quy Huy, Director of Kiwi Travel Company, at this time, the tourism industry needs a strategy to specifically position each tourist segment. Like Vung Tau after renovation, the beaches are very clean, beautiful, and orderly. In the near future, when the Bien Hoa - Vung Tau expressway opens to traffic, it will create favorable conditions for traffic.
"The important thing is that a synchronous and unified management mechanism will help create opportunities to deploy many new products, thereby improving the ability to attract tourists," said Mr. Huy.
According to experts, one of the things that the tourism industry needs to do right now is to develop a strategy for product positioning, market, and customer segmentation. From there, resources can be allocated effectively and waste can be avoided.
Ms. NGUYEN THI ANH HOA , Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism:
Large-scale unique product development
Ho Chi Minh City is positioned to become the leading tourism center in Southeast Asia by 2030, a classy and attractive tourist destination that not only attracts tourists but also inspires and motivates innovation for the Vietnamese tourism industry. Currently, the Department of Tourism is actively adjusting the Development Strategy to 2030 with resources obtained from the new geographical area, establishing the core values of the tourism brand, promoting institutional reform and integrating digital technology in tourism activities.
Dr. DUONG DUC MINH , Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Institute of Economic and Tourism Research:
The "tourist heart" of the region
For the multi-center, multi-experience tourism model to operate effectively, it cannot rely solely on geographical restructuring or infrastructure expansion. Success will come from an integrated mindset of natural and human selection, along with a flexible regional management system, human resources capable of digital transformation, and proactive participation of local communities.
It is necessary to transform the product development structure towards smart, inter-regional and personalized direction. At that time, expanded Ho Chi Minh City can become the "new tourism heart" of the Asia-Pacific region.
Redrawing Vietnam tourism map
Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Nguyen Trung Khanh said that in the first 6 months of the year, the number of international tourists to Vietnam reached nearly 10.7 million, an increase of 20.7% over the same period in 2024, reaching 48.6% of the 2025 plan (22-23 million visitors). The number of domestic visitors reached 77.5 million, an increase of 8.5% over the same period, reaching 64.5% of the yearly plan; total revenue from tourists is estimated at VND 518,000 billion, reaching 52.8% of the yearly plan.
To create momentum for the tourism industry to enter a new era, Mr. Khanh said that the entire industry will focus on implementing many key tasks and solutions. In particular, focusing on advising on perfecting institutions in the direction of "development creation", creating favorable conditions for businesses to operate and facilitating management, promoting administrative procedure reform, and simplifying licensing procedures for tourism businesses.
In addition, research and advise on the issuance of "breakthrough policies and mechanisms", coordinate with the Foreign Affairs and Public Security sectors to advise and propose expanding visa exemption policies, simplifying entry and exit procedures to facilitate attracting international visitors. Continue to orient tourism development towards depth, quality, professionalism, sustainability, and branding.
Building high-end resort tourism products, health care tourism, agricultural tourism and regional specific products, eco-tourism, adventure tourism, medical tourism, culinary tourism... with the scope of world destinations based on distinct potential, outstanding opportunities, national competitive advantages associated with promoting heritage values and national cultural identity. Improving the quality of high-class tourism services, bringing truly unique and impressive experience values to tourists...
According to Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Nguyen Van Hung, in 2025, the tourism industry strives to welcome 22-23 million international tourists; serve 120-130 million domestic tourists, tourism revenue must contribute positively to the growth picture, when the growth target set by the Government is to reach 8% this year and double digits in the coming years. After implementing a two-level government, the tourism industry needs to adapt to the new situation, new apparatus so that tourism is not only a spearhead economic sector, but also an "inspirational" economic sector.
Minister Nguyen Van Hung also gave some directions for the coming time. In particular, after the merger, it is necessary to reposition the tourism resources of localities and re-plan the Vietnamese tourism system. At the latest, it must be completed by the end of the third quarter, from which "redrawing the Vietnamese tourism map" as directed by the Prime Minister.
The tourism industry has identified key markets from national to local levels with the viewpoint "Market is the center, brand is the foundation". Of which, 10 key, strategic markets are: Korea, China, Japan, the US, Australia, Europe, Southeast Asia, India, the Middle East, Russia. The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism will support localities to build worthy products. Promotion activities also require innovation, specific effectiveness, and close connections. "Currently, each international tourist to Vietnam spends 1,500 USD, we hope to increase to 2,000 USD/visitor" - said the Minister.
Source: https://ttbc-hcm.gov.vn/co-hoi-de-du-lich-tp-hcm-but-pha-1019137.html
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