Ho Chi Minh City 'seeks' high-end international tourists in the US.

Ho Chi Minh City is stepping up its tourism promotion activities in the US, aiming to attract high-quality international tourists, especially MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) visitors, as Vietnam's tourism industry enters a new phase of integration and increasingly fierce competition on the world map.

From October 4th to 12th, 2025, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism will organize a Vietnam-Ho Chi Minh City tourism promotion program in the United States with two highlights: participation in the IMEX America 2025 trade fair in Las Vegas and a seminar introducing Vietnam-Ho Chi Minh City tourism in Los Angeles. This is Ho Chi Minh City's first international promotion program after its merger with Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau, marking a transformation of the city's tourism industry into a leading tourism, trade, service, and conference center in Southeast Asia.

IMEX America is one of the world's largest MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) travel trade fairs, bringing together thousands of event organizers, associations, travel agencies, and global promotion bodies. Presence at this event not only helps Ho Chi Minh City promote its destination brand but also provides direct access to an international network of buyers, attracting high-spending tourists with longer stays and a demand for combined business and investment tourism.

Ho Chi Minh City tourism introduces the beauty of traditional culture to international visitors.

According to statistics from the World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), the United States is the country with the highest outbound tourism spending globally, exceeding $281.7 billion in 2024. This market not only has a large population (over 347 million people, with the 7th highest GDP per capita in the world) but also a high rate of outbound travel, especially among business travelers, conference attendees, and high-end leisure tourists.

With the goal of welcoming 8.5 million international tourists in 2025, Ho Chi Minh City has identified the US as a key market to attract high-quality visitors, thereby expanding business cooperation, increasing revenue, and enhancing the destination's image. By participating in IMEX America, Ho Chi Minh City's tourism industry hopes to invite many US partners and buyers to attend the ITE HCMC 2026 International Tourism Fair and other major domestic events, contributing to increased effectiveness in promoting investment and trade alongside tourism.

At the IMEX America 2025 trade show (October 7-9 at Mandalay Bay Convention Center, Las Vegas), the Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh City pavilion, spanning approximately 74.3 m², was impressively designed, reflecting the rich cultural identity of Vietnam. The pavilion focused on showcasing key products such as MICE tourism, luxury tourism, cultural and historical tourism, and traditional Vietnamese cuisine .

The Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh City booth stood out at IMEX America.

With the support of Vietnam Airlines, vibrant promotional activities such as video screenings, the release of new publications, a set of postcards showcasing Ho Chi Minh City's tourism in English, and the participation of traditional folk artists have attracted considerable attention from international visitors. The Ho Chi Minh City delegation also held in-depth working sessions with representatives from major airlines and corporations such as EVA Air, China Airlines, Starlux, IHG, Wynn Resorts, Caesars Entertainment, and HelmsBriscoe US… aiming to expand strategic partnerships and attract tourists and investors to Vietnam.

On October 10, 2025, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism will organize a seminar to introduce Vietnam - Ho Chi Minh City tourism in Los Angeles, meeting with leading travel corporations in California such as Goway Travel, AMA Waterways, Ritz Tours, Uniworld River Cruise… This is an opportunity to understand the needs of American tourists, develop new products, and invite American partners to participate in ITE HCMC 2026.

The US market has always been one of Ho Chi Minh City's top priorities.

Ms. Nguyen Minh Bao Ngoc, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Promotion Center, said: "The US market has always been one of Ho Chi Minh City's top priorities. This program not only showcases the image of a dynamic, modern city with diverse culture and nature, but also demonstrates Ho Chi Minh City's new position after the merger as a regional tourism megacity, converging three pillars: financial economy, high-tech industry, and rich marine and island ecosystem."

According to Ms. Ngoc, participating in IMEX America is not only an opportunity for promotion but also helps Ho Chi Minh City learn about professional, internationally standardized promotion models, thereby upgrading the standards for major domestic events such as ITE HCMC, the River Festival, or Tourism Week.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tphcm-tim-khach-quoc-te-cao-cap-o-my-18525100815101784.htm