The ITE HCMC 2026 High-Level Tourism Forum was held at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City from August 27 to 29. Organized by the Vietnam Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, the Forum focused on Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) industry development under the theme ‘MICE Tourism in the New Era: Sustainability – Connectivity – Opportunity’. It attracted 300 delegates including ASEAN tourism ministers, diplomatic representatives, senior government leaders, and tourism professionals from Vietnam and abroad.
Senior Government Leadership and Forum Moderation
The Forum sessions were chaired and moderated by Vietnam
Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra, Minister of Tourism Lam Thi Phuong Thanh, and Vice-Chairman of the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee Nguyen Loc Ha. Their leadership guided discussions aimed at reinforcing Vietnam’s position as a competitive MICE destination in the region.
Forum Agenda and Industry Focus
Key topics addressed at the Forum included market transformations, sustainable tourism development, technology integration, policy formulation, and strengthening public-private partnerships in the MICE sector. Delegates explored practical solutions to enhance Vietnam’s MICE competitiveness by adopting greener and more innovative practices aligned with global trends.
Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister expressed the country’s ambition to move beyond hosting
events by taking an active role in shaping the future global MICE industry through sustainability and smart innovation. The forum emphasized translating these initiatives into actionable policies and programmes.
Regional Cooperation and MICE Ecosystem Development
The Deputy Prime Minister advocated for transitioning from fragmented competition to collaborative co-creation of a regional MICE ecosystem in the Mekong sub-region and Southeast Asia. This approach aims to support sustainable growth based on three strategic pillars, reinforcing Vietnam’s leadership within the regional MICE market.
Minister of Tourism Lam Thi Phuong Thanh urged coordination among ministries and local authorities to focus on four key priorities for MICE development, intended to maximize
Vietnam’s potential in this sector.
ITE HCMC 2026 Exhibition Participation
The 20th edition of the International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City ran concurrently from August 27 to 29, 2026. It featured over 500 businesses and brands representing more than 45 countries and territories along with participants from 34 provinces and cities across Vietnam, demonstrating the event’s scale and significance in the international tourism trade calendar.
Vietnamese Leadership Calls for Unified Industry Advancement
Vietnam’s Deputy Prime Minister highlighted the importance of collective effort in achieving regional MICE development goals. Stressing that progress requires unity, she emphasized, “If we want to go far, we must go together; if we want to reach greater
heights, we must rise together.” This call to action reflects Vietnam’s strategic approach to fostering sustainable and innovative growth in the MICE sector.
