To make Ho Chi Minh City a leading destination in Asia.

National Assembly representative Bui Hoai Son, a member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Society, believes that Ho Chi Minh City must first clearly identify its greatest competitive advantage.

Báo Tuổi Trẻ•29/05/2026

Ho Chi Minh City - Photo 1.

Ho Chi Minh City is presented with opportunities and many outstanding policies that will drive sustainable socio -economic development - Photo: VAN TRUNG

Speaking to Tuoi Tre newspaper, National Assembly representative Bui Hoai Son, a member of the National Assembly's Committee on Culture and Society, said that Ho Chi Minh City must first clearly identify its greatest competitive advantage (it cannot compete solely on high-rise buildings, shopping malls, or modern infrastructure, as many cities in the region have already surpassed us in those aspects). According to him, Ho Chi Minh City needs to build a modern urban tourism ecosystem.

First, there must be a global urban branding strategy. Ho Chi Minh City needs to be told as a compelling story. It should be a city of creative freedom, historical memory, aspiration for progress, youthful energy, Southern camaraderie, and international integration.

Every historical site, every river, every market, every street, every art space, every dish, every festival... can become a part of that story.

Secondly, Ho Chi Minh City needs to invest heavily in tourism products with international competitiveness: MICE tourism, culinary tourism, river tourism, medical tourism, shopping tourism, creative tourism, music and festival tourism, film tourism, etc. A global city must have a year-round event calendar and festivals with their own unique brands.

Thirdly, Ho Chi Minh City must raise the quality of its services to international standards. Tourists need to experience convenience, safety, cleanliness, civility, friendliness, multilingualism, digital connectivity, smooth traffic, and professional services. From the airport, seaport, metro, taxis, restaurants, hotels, public restrooms, signposts, and the behavior of the people... all are part of the city's image.

Fourth, culture must be considered the soul of tourism. If tourism relies solely on services, we may attract many visitors, but it will be difficult to create depth. If tourism is supported by culture, it will have identity, memories, emotions, and the potential to make tourists want to return.

"But above all, I still want to emphasize the two words 'compassion and solidarity'. This is a very unique and beautiful quality of Ho Chi Minh City. It's the tolerance for immigrants, the sharing in times of hardship, the openness to new things, the generosity of the people of the South... In the process of modernization and globalization, we need to preserve this compassion and solidarity as a core value," Mr. Son added.

Resolution 09 of the Politburo has set out many important goals for the development of Ho Chi Minh City in the new era, emphasizing the task of developing world-class tourism so that Ho Chi Minh City becomes a leading destination in Asia.

Ho Chi Minh City - Photo 2.

Ben Thanh Market (Ho Chi Minh City) is where tourists can buy fabrics, handicrafts, embroidered paintings, and enjoy local specialties - Photo: QUANG DINH

Implementing green administrative orders.

Representative Trinh Thi Tu Anh - a member of the Committee on Science, Technology and Environment - argued that in order to transform Ho Chi Minh City into a leading Asian destination and a global metropolis, the city needs macro-level solutions, the application of science and technology, innovation, and thorough digital transformation. Most importantly, it requires determination in implementing green administrative directives.

Currently, the decline in air quality and the problem of urban waste are raising serious alarms about public health and the image of the city. With a massive amount of household waste reaching nearly 10,000 tons per day, continuing to maintain sanitary landfill technology, which accounts for more than 60% of the waste, is a waste of land resources and poses a serious threat to groundwater.

Therefore, the city must undertake a major overhaul of its environmental infrastructure, resolutely closing down old landfills to shift 100% of household waste to modern waste-to-energy technology, transforming waste into a circular energy source.

Regarding air pollution, the largest sources of emissions come from traffic and peripheral industrial activities. The city needs to take the lead nationwide in establishing low-emission zones, applying Euro 5 and Euro 6 emission standards to vehicles, and issuing a roadmap to replace all traditional buses and taxis with electric vehicles before 2030 through a mechanism of interest rate subsidies for green vehicle loans for transportation businesses...

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Source: https://tuoitre.vn/de-tp-hcm-thanh-diem-den-hang-dau-chau-a-20260529085035659.htm