Ho Chi Minh City tourism is thriving at the beginning of spring.

Many wards, communes, special zones, and travel businesses in Ho Chi Minh City are excited to serve tourists departing at the beginning of the year, hoping for a bountiful Tet holiday season.

Since the beginning of the Lunar New Year holiday in 2026, the atmosphere of spring excursions in Ho Chi Minh City has been bustling.

Many wards, communes, special zones, and travel businesses in the city are excited to serve tourists departing at the beginning of the year, hoping for a bountiful Tet holiday tourism season.

Attracting tourists thanks to its unique destinations.

Following tourists to the Con Dao Special Economic Zone, known as the "pearl island" in the middle of Ho Chi Minh City's ocean, it's easy to spot the vibrant colors of spring on every street.

The highlight of this year's Tet celebration in Con Dao is the Spring Flower Area for the Year of the Horse, themed "Con Dao - Steadfast Steps Towards the Future," designed with thousands of fresh flower baskets, miniature landscapes, and symbols of the year's zodiac animal, along with a dazzling system of artistic lights.

Many spaces dedicated to the Lunar New Year 2026 (Year of the Horse) in Con Dao attract young people. (Photo: Huynh Son/VNA)

In addition, the Spring Festival area and food court feature over 30 game booths and 37 food stalls serving the public throughout the Lunar New Year holiday.

This Lunar New Year holiday, Con Dao is organizing more than 10 unique cultural and sporting activities, aiming to build a more prosperous, beautiful, and civilized special zone.

Similarly, the atmosphere of the Lunar New Year celebrations in the central streets of Thu Dau Mot and Chanh Nghia wards became more vibrant than ever. From early morning, many families visited parks and streets decorated brightly, reflecting the traditional spirit of Tet. At noon and in the evening, crowds flocked to the central areas of the wards and communes for food, entertainment, and recreation, creating a joyful atmosphere.

Ho Chi Minh City also implemented a wide range of activities to serve the people and tourists during the traditional Lunar New Year holiday.

The Nguyen Hue Flower Street is organized simultaneously at three locations: Nguyen Hue pedestrian street in Saigon ward, Thu Dau Mot ward, and Vung Tau ward.

The Tet Book Street in 2026 (Year of the Horse) is a must-visit destination for many families. (Photo: Dinh Hang/VNA)

Furthermore, the 2026 Lunar New Year Book Street Festival not only spreads knowledge and reading culture but also strengthens community bonds in the first spring of a new era of development.

This year, Ho Chi Minh City is focusing on investing in design, harmoniously combining local identity in each large-scale and small-scale display... creating an attraction for domestic and international tourists.

Bustling tour routes to and from the area.

A quick survey by several travel agencies in Ho Chi Minh City shows that during the Lunar New Year holiday of the Year of the Horse 2026, the demand for tourism is high, especially among families, taking advantage of the 9-day period to travel, relax, and reunite with loved ones.

According to Vietravel Tourism Joint Stock Company, the structure of tourists during this year's Tet holiday shows a fairly balanced distribution between domestic tours (42%) and international tours (58%).

The most popular itineraries are mainly 4-6 day tours, which are both convenient for scheduling and ensure a complete experience.

Notably, the number of overseas Vietnamese returning home for the Lunar New Year increased by approximately 30% compared to the same period last year, indicating that the trend of combining family reunions with tourism is becoming increasingly popular.

Numerous tourists flocked to the Back Beach area in Vung Tau ward during this year's Tet holiday. (Photo: Huynh Son/VNA)

Mr. Tran Doan The Duy, General Director of Vietravel, said that the 9-day Tet holiday has opened up a wider range of experiences, helping families not only enjoy the spring but also relax, connect, and "recharge" their energy after a busy year.

With the advantage of preparing supply and booking services in advance, Vietravel maintains stable tour prices while focusing on improving the quality of the experience and safety standards at every point of contact.

According to observations, for domestic tours, beach destinations with pleasant climates continue to be the preferred choice for tourists, such as Phu Quoc, Da Nang, Quy Nhon, Phu Yen, Khanh Hoa, Phan Thiet-Mui Ne, etc.

Meanwhile, pilgrimage and nature-experiencing tourism routes such as the Northeast-Northwest route, the Da Nang-Hue route, and the Mekong Delta... also recorded a good level of interest, especially from family groups and those who prefer a relaxed spring travel pace.

For overseas tours, the advantage of a 9-day holiday, along with the demand for visiting temples to pray for good fortune at the beginning of the year, means that Asian routes continue to dominate with destinations such as Thailand, Bhutan, and India; Northeast Asian tours with spring trips to South Korea, Japan, and China continue to be considered by tourists due to frequent and flexible departure schedules, along with a diverse range of products and experiences.

Mr. Tran The Dung, General Director of Vietluxtour Travel Joint Stock Company, said that in 2026, the company aims to continue to deeply explore niche markets such as high-end tours, beach resort tours, and Indochina multi-country tours (Vietnam-Laos-Cambodia).

Foreign tourists participate in the "Westerners Celebrate Tet in the Mekong Delta" tour organized by a Ho Chi Minh City business. (Photo: My Phuong/VNA)

Organizing themed cultural events like "Westerners Celebrating Tet in the Mekong Delta" is part of a destination promotion strategy, helping to enhance the image of Vietnam as a friendly and culturally rich tourist destination in the eyes of international friends.

During the peak travel season of the Lunar New Year, not only travel agencies but also most destinations in Ho Chi Minh City prioritize standardizing the experience and enhancing operational coordination to ensure that each journey is seamless and consistent in terms of service quality.

Units proactively synchronize service processes, strengthen coordination with airline, accommodation, and service partners at destinations to control quality at each stage, and develop contingency plans for unforeseen situations during peak season.

According to Mr. Le Truong Hien Hoa, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, the city's tourism industry enters 2026 with a special mindset, especially in the new context after the merger of localities and the operation of a two-tiered local government system. Therefore, the programs and products serving the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Horse are being developed by the City's Department of Tourism to ensure uniformity across all areas and to be of higher quality.

On the other hand, the city's tourism industry expects that with new impetus, it can fully achieve the target of 11 million international visitors, 50 million domestic visitors, and tourism revenue growth of 330,000 billion VND in 2026.

Source: VNA

Source: https://phunuvietnam.vn/du-lich-thanh-pho-ho-chi-minh-khoi-sac-dau-xuan-238260221144342907.htm