Ho Chi Minh City: Announcing a series of new tourism products in an expanded space

On the afternoon of August 27, in Vung Tau ward, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism announced tourism programs, marking the beginning of a tourism development strategy in an open geographical space after the merger.

Tourists visit and listen to stories about pottery in Binh Duong province (old) on August 27.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism , after expanding the scope of management, the city now has 681 resources that are qualified to be developed into tourist destinations. The destinations are divided into diverse zones, ranging from urban spaces, craft villages, industrial parks to riverside and island areas.

In the urban space, the system of architectural heritage, modern museums, traditional markets, street food , creative spaces and festivals become typical highlights. This is the foundation for the city to strongly develop MICE tourism products, city tours, cultural tourism and night tourism.

Notably, the Ho Chi Minh City tourism map after the merger is not only limited to familiar landmarks such as Notre Dame Cathedral, Independence Palace or Ben Thanh Market but also expanded to new destinations such as Long Hai beach, Dinh mountain, Dau Tieng lake or Binh Duong ceramic village. This addition helps tourists have more options for experiences, from relaxation, exploring nature to learning about traditional craft village culture.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, worked with units and businesses to orient the development of new tourism products in a new space on the afternoon of August 27.

To realize the above orientation, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism has also organized delegations to survey and evaluate destinations in Binh Duong and Ba Ria - Vung Tau. After the survey and working process, travel businesses have proposed 15 new tourism programs, divided into 5 typical product groups.

Accordingly, the first group focuses on MICE tourism with conference tours combined with 2 days 1 night vacation Ho Chi Minh City - old Vung Tau, 3 days 2 nights Ho Chi Minh City - old Binh Duong - old Vung Tau and international tours 4 days 3 nights.

The second group exploits island tourism and high-end resorts with three products: “The sparkling golden island offshore”, “Ho Tram – The sea calls” and “From river to sea”.

Tourists learn about products made from lacquer paintings. This is a tourism product of Ho Chi Minh City in the near future.

In parallel, the third group focuses on eco-tourism, experiencing nature through the journeys “From salt village to coastal city”, “Touching nature” and “Discovering Vietnamese ceramics – The spirit of the Steel Land”. The fourth group exploits the cultural and historical strengths, while the fifth group focuses on urban tourism and shopping with the theme “Urban colors – Vibrant blue sea”.

In fact, after only one month of merger, Ho Chi Minh City's tourism industry has recorded impressive results. Total tourism revenue in July 2025 reached VND 22,368 billion, up 45.6% over the same period in 2024. In the first 7 months of the year, total revenue reached VND 140,305 billion, up 29.9% over the same period and completed 54% of the 2025 plan.

Notably, the number of international visitors to Ho Chi Minh City in July 2025 reached nearly 696,000, an increase of 75.3% over the same period last year. In the first 7 months, the city welcomed 4.55 million international visitors, an increase of 48%, reaching 53.6% of the yearly plan. In addition, domestic tourists in July 2025 reached more than 3.38 million, an increase of 15%. In the first 7 months, the number of domestic visitors reached more than 21.7 million, an increase of 8.2% and completing 48.3% of the yearly plan.

Vung Tau Ward has a beautiful beach so it attracts many tourists.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, said that the newly announced tourism products all have their own stories, experiences and themes. Therefore, the Department hopes that they will soon be introduced to tourists, contributing to connecting the city's diverse and unique tourism ecosystem.

Currently, with impressive growth momentum, along with a new product strategy associated with expanded space, Ho Chi Minh City is strongly affirming its role as an international tourism center, both maintaining the domestic tourist market and creating new attractions for global tourists.

News and People Newspaper

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/tp-ho-chi-minh-cong-bo-loat-san-pham-du-lich-moi-trong-khong-gian-mo-rong-2025082809153709.htm