The International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City (ITE HCMC) 2026 drew 47,960 visitors and participants over three days from 27 to 29 August at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center, marking the largest event in its 20-year history.
Exhibitor Participation and Business Engagement
The expo featured more than 520 exhibitors and tourism brands operating across 410 booths. Organisers reported over 21,000 business-to-business meetings between international buyers and exhibitors during the event.
International Buyers and Companies
Among the 309 international senior buyers, media representatives, content creators, and media partners attending were travel groups such as TUI Group, Flight Centre Travel Group, Intrepid Travel, JTB, and Thomas Cook India. TUI
Group and other companies including Bunnik Tours, IFC, GetYourGuide, Trip.com, and Uniworld Boutique River Cruises made their first appearance at the expo.
Destination Representation and Regional Participation
Exhibitors represented countries and territories like Portugal, Bhutan, Cambodia, United Arab Emirates, South Korea, Indonesia, Malaysia, Maldives, Japan, Thailand, Switzerland, Sri Lanka, and Italy. Within Vietnam, 34 provinces and cities were involved, with 26 managing exhibition booths.
Mekong Sub-region Tourism Ministerial Meetings
The event coincided with three Mekong sub-region tourism ministerial meetings held simultaneously in Ho Chi Minh City for the first time. The Cambodia-Laos-Vietnam Tourism Ministers’ Meeting on 26 August concentrated on tourism product development and market connectivity. The subsequent seventh ACMECS
and eighth CLMV Tourism Ministers’ Meetings on 27 August addressed destination connectivity, sustainable tourism, and future regional cooperation.
These meetings included senior official sessions resulting in joint documents, strategic plans, and cooperation frameworks.
Bilateral Meetings with Industry Organisations
During the expo, Cambodia’s tourism minister held bilateral discussions with representatives from the International Congress and Convention Association, Pacific Asia Travel Association, Global Sustainable Tourism Council, and Qingdao Airlines.
Forums, Seminars, and Online Engagement
ITE HCMC hosted 15 forums, conferences, and specialist seminars featuring 26 international and 25 Vietnamese speakers. The programme drew over 1,100 in-person attendees and 8,500 online viewers. A high-level MICE tourism forum attracted more than 400 delegates to
discuss sustainability, technology, policy, and public-private partnerships. Topics also covered artificial intelligence, medical tourism, destination branding, sustainable tourism products, and international market connectivity.
Startup Innovation and Technology Focus
The Global Tourism Innovation Startup Investment and Connection Day featured six Vietnamese and eight South Korean startups concentrating on artificial intelligence and tourism technology.
Chinese Traveller Discussions and Destination Promotion
Sessions included analyses of Chinese travellers to Vietnam via the Xiaohongshu platform, alongside destination-focused events featuring Vietnamese cities Hai Phong and Thai Nguyen.
Familiarisation Itineraries and Cultural Experiences
Sixteen familiarisation and press itineraries drew more than 400 participants, showcasing Ho Chi Minh City’s attractions, cultural performances, cuisine, heritage experiences, resorts, golf, and green tourism products. These itineraries targeted
markets from the United States, Russia, United Arab Emirates, China, Taiwan, and Malaysia.
A newly introduced heritage and ecological route linked Ho Chi Minh City with Vinh Long in the Mekong Delta, highlighting local and Khmer cultural heritage.
Upcoming Event
The next International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City is scheduled for September 2027.
