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) in Vietnam’s largest city. This edition was the biggest in the event’s two-decade history, attracting nearly 48,000 visitors and generating more than 21,000 business-to-business meetings. The expo 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, with implementation by the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism
Promotion Center and C.I.S Vietnam Advertising & Exhibition Joint Stock Company.
Event Theme and Program Content
Held under the theme “Vibrant Connections – Global Destinations,” ITE HCMC 2026 focused on a broad range of tourism topics including Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism, sustainability, destination branding, technology and artificial intelligence, medical tourism, innovation, and international market connectivity. The High-Level Tourism Forum on MICE tourism in the new era convened more than 400 government, industry, and business representatives with attendance by Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra, fostering dialogue on practical development opportunities for Vietnam’s tourism sector.
Regional Tourism Diplomatic Engagements
For the first time, ITE HCMC simultaneously
hosted ministerial meetings for three Mekong subregion tourism groups: the CLV, ACMECS, and CLMV ministerials and their respective Senior Officials’ Meetings. Hosting these meetings reinforced Ho Chi Minh City’s role as a central platform for regional tourism diplomacy, advancing cooperation on connectivity, sustainable development, and market strategies across the Mekong area.
Bilateral Meetings with International Organizations
During the expo, Ho Chi Minh City leaders held bilateral discussions and courtesy visits with the Cambodian Minister of Tourism’s delegation, representatives of the International Congress and Convention Association (ICCA), the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), and Qingdao Airlines. The talks emphasized institutional
partnerships, expanding international tourism networks, and promotion efforts to support destination development.
Delegates’ Familiarization Trips and Public Program
Sixteen familiarization and press-trip itineraries enabled over 400 ministers, mayors, international buyers, media figures, and content creators to experience tourism offerings within Ho Chi Minh City as well as surrounding resort, golf, green, and ecological destinations. These programs aided tourism product development and showcased Ho Chi Minh City as a gateway to southern Vietnam. The event’s public program combined tourism products, travel deals, regional cuisine, One Commune One Product (OCOP) items, and cultural performances, creating direct consumer engagement for tourism businesses.
Founded in 2005, ITE HCMC is Vietnam’s
leading annual international travel expo and a key Mekong subregion tourism platform. It connects global destinations, sellers, buyers, travel professionals, and media partners via business matchmaking, market insights, and strategic partnerships supporting inbound and outbound travel. The 21st edition of ITE HCMC is scheduled for September 9 to 11, 2027 at the SECC in Ho Chi Minh City and will continue facilitating international trade connections and business opportunities for Vietnam’s tourism industry.
