Ho Chi Minh City is decorated to welcome the New Year.

These days, Ho Chi Minh City is bustling with decorations to welcome the New Year. Streets, shopping malls, and buildings are brightly lit with flowers and lights, bringing a fresh and exciting atmosphere to the people.

The streets were brightly lit, and the people were bustling about.

On the evening of December 18th, Ms. Mai brought her two young children from Binh Thanh District to the city center of Ho Chi Minh City with the simple purpose of strolling around and enjoying the end-of-year atmosphere. "After a busy year, these few days I just want to take my children out to breathe in the festive atmosphere and take some photos as souvenirs," she said, standing amidst the crowds heading towards the Notre Dame Cathedral in Saigon.

For many years, Huyen Tran's family home in the Phu My Hung area has attracted a large number of visitors who come to tour and take photos.

PHOTO: LE NAM

It wasn't just Mai's family; many other families also chose to go out and admire the city's transformation during the final days of the year. Therefore, around 6-7 PM, especially on weekends, the roads leading to Notre Dame Cathedral are almost packed with people. For more than a week now, with the entire cathedral grounds illuminated, a large number of locals and tourists have continuously flocked there to take photos, stroll around, and experience the changing seasons in the heart of the city.

Shopping malls around the area also "benefited." Mr. Han (from Ban Co Ward) and his wife took advantage of finishing work early, bringing their child to Diamond Plaza Shopping Mall (Le Duan Street) from 5:30 PM to "wait" for the moment the church lights up at 6 PM. "No need to go far, just standing here watching the city lights up is enough to feel the New Year atmosphere," Mr. Han shared. Clips capturing the moment the lights came on spread rapidly on social media, creating an effect that drew even more people to the city center every evening.

Notre Dame Cathedral is dazzling and radiant at night.

PHOTO: DANH PHAM

The New Year's atmosphere is also clearly evident at numerous shopping malls. Since the beginning of December, familiar names like Diamond Plaza, Saigon Centre, Vincom Dong Khoi, Crescent Mall… have simultaneously donned new looks with magnificent Christmas trees, dazzling LED lights, and themed decorations. This early and well-planned decoration investment by these centers has helped extend the festive season, creating a vibrant nightlife for the city and attracting both locals and tourists during the final days of the year.

The festive atmosphere of the year-end season permeates from the streets into homes as many people busily shop and decorate their houses. The family of Mr. Dang Thoai (in Phu My 2A residential area, Phu My Hung) is busy decorating their home. Huyen Tran (19 years old, his daughter) says that decorating the house for Christmas and New Year has become a long-standing tradition for the past seven years. "This year, the family started decorating at the beginning of December. While last year focused on Christmas themes, this year we've added images of white horses, conveying the message of 'good fortune and success' to welcome the new year. The decorations also incorporate lighting and the greeting 'peace and safety for everyone,' as a gentle wish for the new year," Tran shared. Many households here also invest in decorating their homes. In the evening, the brightly lit streets of the residential area become a popular stop for many people from other areas.

Attracting tourists to Ho Chi Minh City to celebrate the New Year.

As more people go out and nightlife becomes more vibrant, tourists , especially international visitors, want to stay longer, spend more, and explore the city more deeply. Mr. Tuan Nguyen, Director of Inbound Business at Vietnam Adventure Tours, noted that Ho Chi Minh City's appearance during this year's festival season has clearly improved.

International tourists enjoy experiencing night tours in Ho Chi Minh City.

PHOTO: PROVIDED BY THE SUBJECT

Mr. Tuan observed that central thoroughfares such as Nguyen Hue pedestrian street, the Saigon riverside area, and the shopping mall system have been invested in and decorated in a more modern and distinctive way compared to previous years. Public spaces have become more vibrant thanks to nighttime cultural and entertainment activities, contributing to a strong impression on international tourists. "These changes help Ho Chi Minh City appear as a young, dynamic, and sleepless city, especially attractive to foreign visitors," Mr. Tuan shared.

According to Mr. Tuan, international tourists have given very positive feedback on the year-end festive atmosphere in Ho Chi Minh City. Visitors love the lively nightlife, outdoor activities, street food , and unique experiences such as Nguyen Hue pedestrian street and Saigon River cruises. Many visitors appreciate the vibrant urban life while still ensuring safety.

To meet this trend, Vietnam Adventure Tours has adjusted and developed additional evening tour products, including city tours combined with festival experiences, boat tours, night markets and culinary tours, while also creating short day tours to give visitors more free time to experience the city's festive atmosphere.

River cruises are a unique and attractive tourism product for many visitors.

PHOTO: PHAN THANH DAT

According to Mr. Tuan, the number of international tourists and revenue during this year-end period increased by approximately 35% compared to the same period in previous years. This growth stems from a clear recovery in international travel demand and greater flexibility in product design by businesses. Strong growth markets include Japan, South Korea, and India, with Asian tourists accounting for an increasingly high proportion, especially for short city tours and nightlife experiences in Ho Chi Minh City.

Analyzing this trend, Mr. Nguyen Tran Hoang Phuong, Director of the Institute for Social Tourism Research, agrees that people going out more, participating in festivals and traveling more during the end of the year is not just a temporary phenomenon, but reflects a fundamental change in social needs. "Tourism today is no longer simply a profession, but has become a widespread social need, similar to the need for food or rest. While in the past, travel was mainly for family reunions and relaxation after work, now people travel to seek experiential value, self -discovery , and future direction," Mr. Phuong stated.

Tan Dinh Church is decorated to welcome Christmas and New Year.

PHOTO: PHAN THANH DAT

In fact, increased people going out creates a strong ripple effect on many other economic sectors. As spending on services, entertainment, food, accommodation, and cultural experiences increases, many related sectors such as trade, services, transportation, entertainment, and local labor also benefit.

The city's increased investment in public spaces, urban beautification, and festival activities has contributed to encouraging more people to go out and encouraging tourists to stay longer. With the region's transportation infrastructure changing, especially with the expectations surrounding Long Thanh Airport, Ho Chi Minh City is seen not only as an economic center but also as a hub for experiences, connectivity, and service consumption in the South.

According to statistics from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, in November 2025, the city is estimated to welcome 780,000 international visitors and 4.2 million domestic visitors, with total tourism revenue reaching nearly 28,500 billion VND. Cumulatively for the first 11 months of the year, Ho Chi Minh City welcomed nearly 7.4 million international visitors and 37.3 million domestic visitors, reaching nearly 75% of the annual visitor target. The number of international visitors is expected to surge in the final month of the year.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/tphcm-trang-hoang-don-nam-moi-185251219201242535.htm