The 20th Ho Chi Minh City International Travel Expo (ITE HCMC 2026) took place from August 27 to 29, 2026, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), marking the largest edition in the event’s history. The expo generated more than 21,000 business-to-business meetings, solidifying its role as Vietnam’s leading international travel event.
Theme and Participants
Held under the theme “Vibrant Connections – Global Destinations,” ITE HCMC 2026 connected a broad spectrum of participants including tourism authorities, international organizations, travel and MICE businesses, buyers, media, content creators, and the general public. The program covered key topics such as MICE tourism, sustainability, destination branding,
emerging technologies and artificial intelligence, medical tourism, innovation, and enhancing international market connectivity.
High-Level Forums and Ministerial Meetings
The event featured a High-Level Tourism Forum on MICE tourism, which drew over 400 government officials, industry leaders, and business representatives, including Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra. For the first time in Ho Chi Minh City, ITE HCMC simultaneously hosted the ministerial meetings and Senior Officials’ Meetings of three regional groups: CLV (Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam), ACMECS (Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy), and CLMV (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam). These meetings advanced discussions on regional cooperation, connectivity, sustainable tourism development, and market expansion.
Diplomatic Engagements
City leaders held bilateral
meetings and courtesy calls during the expo with the Cambodian Minister of Tourism’s delegation, as well as representatives from international organizations such as the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), and Qingdao Airlines. These talks focused on institutional partnerships, expanding international networks, destination marketing, and joint tourism development initiatives.
Familiarization Trips and Public Programs
Sixteen familiarization and press itineraries introduced over 400 ministers, mayors, international buyers, media representatives, and content creators to cultural, culinary, heritage, and urban attractions in Ho Chi Minh City, alongside resort, golf, green, and ecological tourism products in nearby
southern Vietnam destinations. These activities supported new product development and reinforced Ho Chi Minh City’s position as a gateway for southern Vietnam tourism.
The expo’s public program showcased tourism products, travel offers, regional cuisine, One Commune One Product (OCOP) goods, and cultural performances, establishing a platform for tourism businesses to engage directly with consumers and stimulate travel demand.
Background and Future Scheduling
Founded in 2005, ITE HCMC serves as Vietnam’s premier annual international travel expo and a prominent tourism trade platform in the Mekong subregion. It connects destinations, sellers, buyers, travel professionals, and media through business matching, market insights, and strategic partnerships to support
both inbound and outbound tourism.
ITE HCMC 2026 was directed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, jointly organized by the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism and the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, and implemented by the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Promotion Center and C.I.S Vietnam Advertising & Exhibition Joint Stock Company.
The next edition, the 21st Ho Chi Minh City International Travel Expo, is scheduled for September 9 to 11, 2027, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center in Ho Chi Minh City.
