Vietnam’s largest international travel expo, ITE HCMC 2026, will be held from 27 to 29 August 2026 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City. The 20th edition since its inception in 2005 is expected to be the largest yet, featuring more than 520 exhibitors and 260 international buyers under the theme “Vibrant Connections – Global Destinations.”
Organized under the direction of the Vietnam Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, the expo is jointly hosted by the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, the Ho Chi Minh
City Department of Tourism, the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Promotion Center, and C.I.S Vietnam Advertising & Exhibition Joint Stock Company. International organizations participating include UN Tourism, the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), and the Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB). Corporate partners are Google, Mastercard, EuroCham, and the Korea Tourism Organisation (KTO).
The hosted buyers programme will bring 260 international buyers from Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North America, and Oceania. Buyers-Sellers Speed Dating is scheduled for 26 August before the opening ceremony. Over 21,000 B2B appointments will take place during Business Matching
sessions on 27 and 28 August. The event also hosts three Tourism Ministers’ Meetings of Mekong subregional co-operation frameworks and arranges pre- and post-tours for international buyers and media.
On 27 August, a Tourism Forum titled “Shaping the Future of MICE Tourism: Innovation, Sustainability and Global Connectivity” will include representatives from GSTC, TCEB, PATA, Mastercard, and Google. Workshops and presentations will address artificial intelligence (AI), destination brand management, medical tourism, and tourism technology start-ups. The public program features artistic performances, cultural exchanges, culinary experiences, and interactive activities engaging consumers directly.
Mr. Pham Huy Binh, director of the Ho Chi Minh
City Department of Tourism, said, “The 20th anniversary of ITE HCMC 2026 is not simply a milestone in time; it also reflects the Expo’s growing maturity in terms of scale, quality and standing. Over the three days of the event, Ho Chi Minh City is honoured to host the Tourism Ministers’ Meetings of Mekong subregional co-operation frameworks, while also bringing together a series of thematic forums addressing the trends shaping the future of tourism, including artificial intelligence (AI), destination brand management, medical tourism and tourism technology start-ups.”
ITE HCMC 2026 is Vietnam’s biggest international travel expo and a major Southeast
Asian tourism industry event. Its dynamic hosted buyers programme and extensive B2B engagement underscore its regional significance. The concurrent hosting of Tourism Ministers’ Meetings enhances its diplomatic role, while the summit addresses innovation, sustainability and connectivity in the MICE sector.
