It was an evening when Vietnam put on its best Ao Dai, dusted off the lacquerware, stirred the clay pots, and invited the world in. The 19th International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City (ITE HCMC 2025) opened not with a whimper but with a cultural roar, a brilliant gala dubbed Vietnam Night, staged under the poetic banner of “The Flow of Quintessence.”
Held at the glistening Thiskyhall Convention Centre, the affair was part travel show, part cultural manifesto, and wholly unforgettable. Nearly 700 delegates from 41 countries and territories descended on Ho Chi Minh City, their name badges rattling like medals, as the city positioned itself once again at the beating heart of regional tourism.
Leaders, Luminaries and a Lot of Quintessence
Vietnam honours tourism partnerships at ITE HCMC 2025, sealing sustainable growth with global cooperation.
The guest list read like a who’s who of Vietnamese politics and international tourism. Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh joined Nguyen Van Duoc, Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee, alongside Nguyen Van Hung, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism. Add to that an assortment of consuls-general, ministers, mayors, and global tourism bosses, and you had a line-up that could rival Davos, but with better food.
In his opening address, Mr Duoc was at his lyrical best. He reminded guests that Vietnam, cradled in the lower basin of the Mekong, has long drawn life and culture from the river’s flow. “The flow of the rivers runs not only through economic life but also through the collective memory,” he said. “It is a cultural current passed down through generations, gentle and persistent, yet containing infinite strength that helps people overcome challenges and look towards the future.”
That sort of metaphor might sink a lesser orator, but in Duoc’s hands it soared. He went on to position Ho Chi Minh City as a megacity on the move: a modern financial hub, a cultural melting pot, and a burgeoning MICE powerhouse. One suspects he enjoyed describing his hometown as a place where “tradition and the spirit of the times harmonise.”
Lights, Shadow, Action
Vietnamese performers light up ITE HCMC 2025 with dazzling cultural showcase.
The performances wasted no time tugging on heartstrings. A shadow dance titled “Welcome Ho Chi Minh City” shimmered across the stage, followed by a mashup cheerily inviting all to “Join hands with my Vietnamese people – Hello Ho Chi Minh City.”
If that didn’t warm up the jet-lagged delegates, a short film certainly did. Ho Chi Minh City – The Flow of Quintessence was a slickly produced love letter to the metropolis: skyscrapers elbowing temples, bicycles darting past Bentleys, and a nightlife that can put Paris to bed early.
The highlight, though, was the martial-meets-musical spectacle “Cultural Quintessence.” With a swirl of opera, Cai Luong theatre, martial arts, and colour-drenched choreography, it took the audience on a whistle-stop tour through Vietnam’s cultural DNA.
The Fashion of Heritage
What’s an international gala without a catwalk? Vietnam answered with the Ao Dai collection “Heritage Quintessence.” Models glided in flowing silks inspired by traditional craft villages. There was the ceramic village, where earth and fire still meet in delicate artistry; the lacquer village, painting memory onto wood; and the shell village, glistening with maritime motifs.
Each piece was not just fashion but narrative cultural storytelling woven into fabric. In an era of disposable trends, this was haute couture with historical heft.
Culinary Soul of a Nation
If the performances dazzled the eyes, the food cared for the heart. Delegates savoured dishes of rice paddies, river deltas, and centuries of culinary craft. Vietnamese cuisine, after all, is not mere sustenance; it’s diplomacy served on a plate.
One particularly moving moment saw dignitaries pour rice into clay pots, a ritual symbolising prosperity and shared fortune. It was simple, symbolic, and oddly reassuring in a world forever fractured; here was an image of unity for which no translation was required.
Sustainable Tourism, Vibrant Experiences
Crowds explore Ho Chi Minh City Pavilion at ITE HCMC 2025, showcasing vibrant Vietnamese tourism.
Of course, ITE HCMC is more than pageantry. The three-day expo at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre sets the agenda for Vietnam’s tourism strategy. This year’s theme, “Sustainable Tourism, Vibrant Experiences,” underscores a dual ambition: protect the planet while offering travellers something to post on Instagram.
The expo is no minor meet-up. After 19 years, it has cemented its role as the premier tourism platform in the Mekong region, linking Vietnam with global buyers and sellers. Organisers say the emphasis is on green, responsible tourism and distinctive products that a search engine can’t replicate.
With support from heavyweight sponsors like Vietnam Airlines and Saigontourist Group and a roster of luxury hotels, from Sofitel Saigon Plaza to The Grand Ho Tram, the message is clear: Vietnam intends to woo, wow, and win the world traveller.
Why It Matters
Events like Vietnam Night are more than just song-and-dance. They’re a nation’s calling card. Ho Chi Minh City is not shy about its ambitions: to be the region’s MICE capital, a global tourism hub, and a place where sustainable development and cultural heritage share top billing.
And if the applause that rattled the chandeliers at Thiskyhall is anything to go by, Vietnam is flowing in the right direction with plenty of quintessence to spare.
For details on ITE HCMC 2025, visit www.itehcmc.travel.
By Supaporn Pholrach
