The International Travel Expo 2026 (ITE HCMC 2026) officially opened on August 27 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. The three-day event, jointly organized by the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism and the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, runs through August 29 under the theme “Vibrant Connections – Global Destinations.”
Diverse International and Domestic Participation
ITE HCMC 2026 features tourism promotion agencies and businesses from the Republic of Korea, Japan, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Bhutan, Russia’s St. Petersburg, and Nicaragua. Thirty-four Vietnamese provinces and cities are represented alongside key sectors such as travel, accommodation, aviation,
transport, and tourism technology.
Business-to-Business Meetings and International Buyers Programme
The expo includes an international buyers programme with more than 260 buyers from over 40 countries and territories. Organizers scheduled over 21,000 business-to-business appointments between Vietnamese tourism enterprises and these international buyers. The programme provides opportunities to showcase products, establish partnerships, and explore new markets.
Tourism Trends and Public Experiences
Emerging tourism trends highlighted at the event include green and digital tourism, waterway and metro tourism, MICE and medical tourism, plus cultural and rural tourism experiences. The expo supports stronger collaborations between tourism management agencies, businesses, airlines, and service providers to boost the position of Ho Chi Minh City and other
Vietnamese destinations in the global tourism market.
ITE HCMC 2026 opens to the public from the afternoon of August 27 until August 29, offering tourism, cultural, and culinary experiences, along with OCOP products, promotional programmes, and art performances.
Nguyen Loc Ha, Vice Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, described the expo’s 20th anniversary as marking an important milestone and opening a new stage of development. He emphasized the need for the event to prioritize quality of connections, cooperation, and partner value. Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho An Phong noted the expo’s evolution from a
traditional trade promotion event into an international travel expo serving as an annual tourism industry forum.
