Ho Chi Minh City opens tourism fair to attract international visitors.

The Ho Chi Minh City International Tourism Fair 2023 opened this morning, aiming to attract international tourists to Vietnam amidst assessments that the results for the first eight months of the year have been "not up to par".

The 17th Ho Chi Minh City International Tourism Fair 2023 (ITE HCMC 2023), organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism in coordination with the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, took place from September 7 to 9, with the participation of 3,500 delegates from 42 countries and territories.

The ITE trade fair space on the morning of September 7th. Photo: Bich Phuong — The ITE trade fair space on the morning of September 7th. Photo: *Bich Phuong*

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee Phan Van Mai said that international cooperation in tourism between countries and regions in recent years has made a significant contribution to the recovery and development of tourism in Ho Chi Minh City and the whole country. The tourism industry has recorded positive signs of recovery. Vietnam welcomed more than 87 million visitors in the first eight months of 2023, equivalent to 70% compared to 2019, with 7.8 million international visitors, 5.4 times more than the same period in 2022. Total revenue from tourism reached more than 482 trillion VND.

Ho Chi Minh City alone welcomed nearly 25 million visitors in the first eight months of the year, reaching 63% of the 2019 figure, including nearly 3 million international visitors, a 105.2% increase compared to the same period last year, generating over 100,000 billion VND in tourism revenue.

The Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee affirmed the important role of the Ho Chi Minh City International Tourism Fair in attracting international tourists to Vietnam, increasing the flow of tourists between countries, and optimizing tourism revenue.

"The results for the first eight months of 2023 have not met forecasts in terms of visitor numbers, revenue, and the contribution of tourism to socio-economic development. Therefore, many aspects need to be considered when making forecasts, especially accurately assessing the unpredictable developments that are taking place in order to have appropriate approaches and adaptations. That is also one of the goals we hope to achieve at this year's Ho Chi Minh City International Tourism Fair," Mr. Mai said.

One of the key objectives of the 17th ITE HCMC is to expand the market share of international tourists to Vietnam and create a breakthrough in tourism promotion. The fair is the only international tourism event in Vietnam with an International Buyers program, helping foreign tourism businesses expand their markets and find tourism partners in Vietnam and the Mekong River basin.

One of the highlights of ITE HCMC 2023 is the activities promoting tourism in various countries and international destinations, such as the program introducing tourism in Chile, a unique experience in South Korea, and a presentation on tourism in Japan.

Furthermore, the fair aims to provide solutions for sustainable tourism development. The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, in coordination with the Vietnam National Tourism Administration, organized professional forums and tourism workshops with the participation of many domestic and international experts.

Visitors to the public consumer fair received special offers from travel agencies, airlines, restaurants, and hotels when purchasing promotional tours, discounted air tickets, and participating in lucky draws. This year's fair is expected to attract more than 25,000 visitors.

Bich Phuong

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