For the first time, 2 events were held together, tens of thousands of business appointments in Ho Chi Minh City

On September 4, the series of events of the 19th Ho Chi Minh City International Tourism Fair 2025 (ITE HCMC 2025), the 2025 Export Forum and International Supply Chain Connection opened at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC).

For the first time, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee and localities coordinated to simultaneously organize a series of key trade and tourism events to promote products and connect supply and demand between Vietnamese goods, Vietnamese businesses and global buyers.

Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee discussed with domestic and foreign delegates and international enterprises at the event. (Photo: Huu Long)

Speaking at the event, Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh said that tourism is not only a "smokeless industry" that makes an important contribution to socio-economic development, but is also a bridge for cultural exchange and soft power to connect and enhance understanding, peace , cooperation, development and prosperity.

After expanding its administrative boundaries, Ho Chi Minh City continues to affirm its position as the largest economic and tourist center in the country, converging outstanding potential in economics, culture, services and international connections.

The city not only has open urban space, but also has a diversity of cultural and historical heritage, Can Gio mangrove biosphere reserve, fruit gardens, river landscapes, a vibrant pace of life and a high-class service ecosystem that create a unique attraction, to make the city a "gateway" to welcome international visitors and the starting point of many journeys to explore Vietnam.

This is also an ideal development environment for new tourism models such as MICE tourism - a model that combines tourism with meetings, conferences, seminars, exhibitions, and awards - which is a high-end tourism trend, bringing great economic value and affirming the position of a smart tourism destination, leading the development trend of regional and national tourism.

The potentials and advantages of Ho Chi Minh City create momentum for Vietnam to become an ideal convergence point, connecting key global tourism markets.

According to Mr. Nguyen Van Dung, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee, after the merger, Ho Chi Minh City will become a super city - the economic - financial - logistics - trade and service center and the largest tourist area in the country. Tourism revenue alone accounts for about 25% of the country, with more than 200,000 billion VND.

For the first time, two trade and tourism event series were held at the same time in Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: Huu Long)

"For the first time, three major flows - tourism, trade and international integration - are connected into a series of large-scale and synchronous events between the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and Ho Chi Minh City. Organizing three events at the same time is a symbol of harmony in development strategy and vision.

This is also a testament to the city's commitment to always accompany and create the most favorable environment for domestic and international enterprises to develop together, and build a green, sustainable and creative economic - tourism - trade ecosystem," Mr. Dung affirmed.

In addition, organizing these events simultaneously is also an opportunity for the MICE tourism industry, helping to connect tourism with trade, logistics, and export; it is a way for Ho Chi Minh City to create a comprehensive economic-tourism week, both attracting visitors and raising its international status.

ITE HCMC 2025 Fair with the theme "Sustainable Tourism, Immersive Experiences", defines the strategic vision of Vietnam's tourism industry in general and Ho Chi Minh City tourism in particular to raise awareness of sustainable tourism, creatively build new products and services, meet green tourism, responsible tourism, impress international buyers towards Vietnam as a destination.

Named “Asia’s Best Trade Show”, ITE HCMC 2025 is the only tourism promotion event in Vietnam with an international buyer program. This year, more than 500 businesses flocked to Ho Chi Minh City, with more than 250 international buyers from 41 countries and territories such as the US, China, Australia; Brazil, Russia, Canada, Germany, Spain...

Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism and guests visit booths at the event. (Photo: H. Linh)

The organizers said that more than 12,000 business meetings and nearly 30,000 visitors are expected to take place, along with a series of activities such as the High-level Tourism Forum towards the theme of digital transformation and green transformation, the National Travel Conference 2025, the Workshop on building a national brand with the breakthrough role of tourism...

Meanwhile, the 2025 Export Forum and the International Supply Chain Connection event are bridges between Vietnamese enterprises and more than 450 purchasing and distribution delegations from 60 countries and territories.

This year, more than 12,000 products from agricultural products, beverages, processed foods to consumer industrial goods such as textiles, footwear, wooden products, interiors, packaging and supporting industrial goods... of 400 Vietnamese enterprises participated, with thousands of B2B connections, creating opportunities to diversify the market, helping Vietnamese enterprises participate deeply in the global value chain.

Besides international purchasing delegations from traditional markets such as the United States, the European Union, Japan, and South Korea, the city also expects many new opportunities from numerous purchasing delegations from emerging potential markets such as the Middle East, Latin America, and countries in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and South Asia.

Notably, the participating localities this time not only expanded the scale of booths and the number of businesses but also participated more deeply in mobilizing foreign business delegations to visit and learn about the investment and business environment in the province. Typically, Tay Ninh will welcome 150 business delegations and distribution corporations from 24 countries and territories to connect with businesses in the province on September 6.

According to Deputy Minister of Industry and Trade Phan Thi Thang, with an important economic growth strategy including private economic development, creating breakthroughs in science, technology and innovation, and international integration, a series of events held simultaneously in Ho Chi Minh City create a resonance attraction, for thousands of businesses to participate.
In the first 7 months of 2025, Vietnam's total import-export turnover reached nearly 515 billion USD, an increase of 16.3% over the same period last year, creating favorable momentum for Vietnam's import-export growth target of 12% in 2025.
International tourism alone contributed about 8% to Vietnam's GDP in 2024, with more than 18 million international visitors, this year this number is expected to increase to 25 million.

Ha Linh

Source: https://vtcnews.vn/lan-dau-2-su-kien-cung-to-chuc-hang-chuc-nghn-cuoc-hen-giao-thuong-o-tp-hcm-ar963589.html