Building Can Tho City into an eco-tourism center of the Mekong Delta

After the merger, Can Tho City will have many advantages in socio-economic development; in which, the tourism industry is expected to have strong breakthroughs thanks to the connection of product ecosystems and unique cultural and natural resources of the three localities.

Diverse tourism potential

After the merger, Can Tho has expanded its development space with diverse tourism resources. Accordingly, Can Tho is repositioning its tourism product system to create its own identity and develop sustainably. Can Tho currently has about 113 tourist areas, spots, and gardens; including 8 typical tourist spots in the Mekong Delta.

Cai Rang floating market in the morning market

The city currently has 108 cultural and historical relic sites, of which 33 are exploited to welcome tourists. The city has 869 accommodation establishments, about 14,560 rooms, including 144 1-5 star hotels. At the same time, there are 80 travel service businesses, of which 21 are international travel service businesses operating in the city. Can Tho's resource system is diverse, suitable for developing many tourism products: ecological, river, cultural - historical, MICE (tourism combined with conferences, seminars, events)...

According to the report of the People's Committee of Can Tho City, in November and 11 months of 2025, the city's economy continued to grow and achieved many positive results. Particularly for the tourism industry, the total number of visitors and tourists in November 2025 is estimated at 583,000; cumulatively reaching 10,568,000, reaching 96% of the plan, up 20% over the same period.

Accordingly, the number of tourist arrivals in November 2025 is estimated at 236,000; the cumulative number is 4,697,575, reaching 96% of the plan, up 27% over the same period. Notably, the total tourism revenue in November 2025 is estimated at 620 billion VND, bringing the cumulative number to 9,290.5 billion VND, reaching 93% of the plan, up 20% over the same period.

Currently, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Can Tho City is coordinating with the Tourism Association and tourism businesses to develop and organize the announcement of a tourism stimulus program. Accordingly, the program has mobilized the participation of more than 150 product packages, services, and tourism stimulus tours from businesses, accommodation establishments, restaurants, tourist destinations, entertainment services, etc., contributing to promoting socio-economic development and attracting tourists to Can Tho and the Mekong Delta region.

Tourists visit Phi Yen eco-tourism area

Orientation of tourism development in Can Tho

Based on post-merger resources, Can Tho tourism industry aims to develop diversified products based on exploiting the strengths of river ecology, MICE and other supporting types such as: culture - history, community, agriculture...

The locality is building mechanisms and policies to create conditions for strategic investors to form complex tourism service areas, large-scale tourism service projects, high-quality shopping, cultural and artistic entertainment centers in key areas.

At the same time, cultural events and festivals will be renewed and expanded, in which the Can Tho River Culture Festival (taking place from December 26, 2025 to January 1, 2026) is the first activity to take place. The festival aims to raise public awareness in environmental protection, especially the river ecosystem, encourage sustainable tourism development; enhance the effective exploitation of resources and tourism products on the river; develop inner-city tours, connect river tourism in Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho City with the Mekong Delta, expand tours with countries along the Mekong River...

Can Tho tourism industry aims to develop diverse products based on exploiting the ecological strengths of rivers, MICE and other supporting types.

The local tourism industry is also surveying and systematizing resources to have appropriate planning. In Can Tho, there are currently many tourism projects, such as: preserving and promoting the value of the national intangible cultural heritage of the traditional craft of "Pia cake making"; developing community tourism in the old Hau Giang province until 2025, with a vision to 2030, planning projects related to Cai Rang floating market, the island system...

Vice Chairwoman of Can Tho City People's Committee Nguyen Thi Ngoc Diep shared that Can Tho City has just been shaped as a center for ecological, cultural, and river tourism in the Mekong Delta. In recent times, the locality has also recognized the limitations and difficulties of tourism in terms of infrastructure, construction and development of tourism products, etc. Therefore, the city has also oriented its planning to promote the advantages and potential of tourism, focusing on river ecological tourism, MICE, and further research on health tourism.

At the same time, the locality also mobilizes all resources for tourism development investment, such as investment in infrastructure construction; large-scale, complex entertainment areas; promoting in-depth cooperation in tourism development, connecting tourism product value chains, attracting investors and tourists, ensuring sustainable development, contributing to building Can Tho City as a tourism center of the Mekong Delta region.

According to Nguyen Minh Tuan, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Can Tho City, in order to attract tourists in the last months of the year, the street lighting decoration will be constructed in mid-December and is expected to be lit before New Year's Day. The design of the spring flower street has been completed and the locality is mobilizing social resources to implement it, promising to create more attractive spaces for tourists and residents during Tet.

Maintaining tourism attraction comes not only from urban decoration activities but also from tourism stimulus programs, strengthening regional linkages and promoting the consumption of OCOP products associated with tourist experiences. Tours connecting Can Tho - Cu Lao Dung - Tran De - Vinh Chau and many neighboring localities continue to be expanded, creating a rich network of destinations.

Economic & Urban Newspaper

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/xay-dung-tp-can-tho-la-trung-tam-du-lich-sinh-thai-cua-dong-bang-song-cuu-long-20251209082919607.htm