Spread the love

Post Views: 44

It is not often that a city can credibly claim to host an event of “mega” proportions and avoid sounding like it has overindulged in marketing hyperbole. Yet Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam’s undisputed economic engine, has just pulled off such a feat with the opening of the 19th International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City (ITE HCMC 2025), staged in concert with the Export Forum 2025 and the ambitious “Connecting International Supply Chains” summit.

All three kicked off on 4 September at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC) under the unifying theme “Green Connection—Sustainable Development.” If the scale and symbolism of the combined effort are anything to go by, Vietnam has positioned itself not just as a regional tourism contender but as a global player in trade, logistics, and investment.

The collaboration reads like a diplomatic hat trick: the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Industry and Trade, and the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee. Each has a stake and a message, and together, they’re presenting Vietnam as a nation with ambition and the organisational muscle to back it up.

A City With Serious Numbers

Chairman Nguyen Van Duoc delivers a confident call for Vietnam’s sustainable growth and global role.

Ho Chi Minh City Vice Chairman Nguyen Van Dung took to the podium with facts and figures that left no doubt as to why this city is Vietnam’s calling card to the world.

“After merging with Ba Ria – Vung Tau province and Binh Duong province, Ho Chi Minh City has an area of 6,773 square kilometres, equivalent to 2.04% of the country’s area,” he said. The numbers kept flowing: a population of nearly 14 million, a workforce representing 13.8% of the national total, and a contribution of 22.3% to the country’s GDP.

Imports and exports? A cool USD 179.3 billion, or nearly a quarter of Vietnam’s total turnover. Retail sales? A staggering VND 1,683 trillion, equivalent to more than a quarter of the nation’s consumer spend. Tourism alone accounts for 25% of Vietnam’s total revenue in that sector.

The Vice Chairman’s point was clear: Ho Chi Minh City isn’t just Vietnam’s largest metropolis. By every conceivable measure, it is the beating heart of the country’s economy and increasingly its international face.

Three Streams Converge

Vietnam Night unfolds with elegance and pride, showcasing culture, ambition, and international friendship.

Vietnam’s major streams of tourism, trade, and global integration have been woven together in a single mega-event for the first time. The logic is simple but brilliant: why not simultaneously amplify synergies by hosting three powerhouses under the same roof?

Tourism flow: ITE HCMC 2025, themed “Sustainable Tourism –Vibrant Experience,” will bring together 520 exhibitors, 28 provinces and cities, and 250 high-level international buyers from 32 countries. Delegates will include Australia’s Flight Centre and Luxury Escapes, Germany’s DERTour, and China’s Fliggy-Alibaba. Over 12,000 business appointments are expected.
Trade flow: The Export Forum 2025 features 400 Vietnamese enterprises showcasing 12,000 products to 300 purchasing delegations from 60 countries. Traditional partners such as Japan and the EU are present, but so are emerging markets from Latin America, the Middle East, and Central Asia.
Integration flow: At the same time, the city is hosting the 12th General Assembly of the Tourism Promotion Organisation for Global Cities (TPO). This dovetails neatly into the city’s goal of becoming not just a Vietnamese megacity, but one of the world’s top 100 most liveable cities.

As one seasoned delegate observed, “Only in Vietnam could tourism, trade and diplomacy be served in a single buffet sitting and still leave room for dessert.”

Tourism Takes Centre Stage

A spectacular welcome in Ho Chi Minh City, uniting nations with colour, music and ceremony.

Of the three events, ITE HCMC 2025 is the most visible crowd-puller. It is branded as “Asia’s Best Trade Show” and remains Vietnam’s only tourism expo with an international buyer program.

This year, the show doubles down on sustainable tourism. Exhibitors are urged to present not just their best itineraries, but also their greenest credentials. Think eco-lodges in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, river cruises that cut carbon, and cultural tours designed to protect rather than exploit heritage sites.

A battery of professional forums runs alongside the expo:

National Travel Conference 2025
High-level Tourism Forum on digital and green transformation
Seminar on Clean Energy and Sustainable Tourism Development
Innovation and Startup Talkshow: Smart Destination, Vibrant Journey

If that wasn’t enough, there’s even a Tourism Golf Tournament, proving once again that business in Asia can be struck on the fairway as easily as in a conference hall.

The Trade and Supply Chain Angle

While the travel expo commands headlines, the Export Forum and Supply Chain Summit may deliver the longest-lasting impact. Vietnam’s exports range from agricultural produce to consumer electronics, and global demand shows no sign of slowing.

With over 300 international buying delegations, this year’s forum is a matchmaking powerhouse. What makes 2025 different is the outreach to non-traditional markets. Central Asia, Latin America and the Middle East are being courted with as much enthusiasm as Vietnam’s well-trodden partners in Europe and East Asia.

As one industry analyst quipped, “Vietnam is no longer content to be the factory floor for Asia; it wants a seat at the boardroom table.”

International Stagecraft

Adding to the sense of occasion, the opening ceremony drew a line-up that resembled a Who’s Who of Vietnamese politics. In attendance were former president Nguyen Minh Triet, Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh, and Culture, Sports and Tourism Minister Nguyen Van Hung, among others.

International consuls, diplomats, and industry chiefs also turned out in force. Nearly 700 delegates packed into SECC, a reminder that Vietnam’s drawcard is as much about people as products.

Green Connection, Sustainable Development

Delegates gather with smiles in Ho Chi Minh City, celebrating friendship, tourism and future connections.

If one refrain ran through the speeches, it was “green.” Like many nations, Vietnam is grappling with climate change and the environmental consequences of industrialisation. However, unlike many, it makes sustainability a branding exercise, and ITE HCMC 2025 has become the platform.

“Hosting three events at the same time is a symbol of harmony in development strategy and vision,” Nguyen Van Dung declared. “It is also a testament to the City’s commitment: always accompanying and creating the most favourable environment for domestic and international enterprises.”

It was the line that blends policy with poetry, but one suspects the international buyers and investors will remember it — particularly those already scouting for sustainable supply chains.

Strategic Partnerships

None of this would be possible without serious backers. The event’s Diamond Sponsors include Vietnam Airlines and Saigontourist Group. At the same time, ShopeeFood, Airports Corporation of Vietnam, and international carriers from Emirates to Japan Airlines ensure the show looks good on paper and moves people in reality.

Hotel partners from Sofitel to Melia rolled out the red carpets, while logistics and venue sponsors hummed the machinery. In short, Vietnam Inc. pulled together in a rare show of unity.

Why It Matters

Vietnam’s rise as a tourism and trade hub is no accident. It’s a carefully orchestrated campaign to reposition the national brand as vibrant, sustainable, and internationally minded. Ho Chi Minh City’s events week clarifies that this is no parochial ambition: it is a national strategy, and the world is invited to take notice.

One Australian delegate told Global Travel Media: “Vietnam isn’t just opening doors. It’s opening every window, skylight and trapdoor to ensure the world sees its potential.”

Conclusion

With the successful launch of ITE HCMC 2025, the Export Forum, and the Supply Chain Summit, Ho Chi Minh City has achieved more than the sum of its parts. It has drawn a map where tourism, trade, and global diplomacy are not separate lines but intersecting currents.

Suppose this is Vietnam’s green, sustainable, and international vision for the future. In that case, the message is clear: the country is not just ready to participate in the global economy, it is prepared to lead.