In recent years, Ho Chi Minh City has promoted river tourism through festivals and specialized events, contributing to bringing river products closer to people and tourists inside and outside the East and Southwest regions.
Increased demand has led to the participation of many businesses, with the emergence of new cruise ships and yachts, enriching supply and diversifying experiences.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, the advantage of an expanded city lies in its ability to create linked tourism value chains, bringing many layers of experience in one journey.
Besides traditional products on culture - history, cuisine and night economy, waterway tourism is identified as a potential development direction, with inner-city routes combining riverside space and connecting to the sea through Can Gio, Vung Tau...
In that context, tourism businesses proactively build new products that combine river routes with culture, cuisine and ecology to increase experience and expand customer segments. Trips are not just about sightseeing but towards a comprehensive experience, where visitors can feel local life more visually and deeply.
This trend is also quickly reflected in new products launched on the market. At the Vietnam International Travel Mart 2026 (VITM 2026) held in Hanoi from April 9-12, the appearance of the Amiral Cruises yacht product attracted the attention of travel businesses and tourists.
Expected to officially operate from June 5, 2026, this urban river yacht product has its starting point in Ho Chi Minh City, with routes starting from Bach Dang Wharf. The prominent route connects the city center with Cu Chi tunnels by river, bringing a different perspective compared to the familiar road journey.
On this route, tourists not only move but also participate in the journey to learn about the history and culture of Saigon - Gia Dinh land through explanations and experiential activities on the boat. The highlight of the journey is the "Song Show" program - a real-scene stage telling the story of Southern river and water culture through music, lighting and performing arts.
In addition to day tours, yachts also develop sunset and evening routes, aiming to develop the night economy on the Saigon River. In addition to urban tours, yachts also have separate tours taking tourists to explore destinations near the City such as Can Gio mangrove forest, Ghenh Rai Bay and Vung Tau beach.
Dr. Pham Ha - Chairman and CEO of LuxGroup, said that Amiral Cruises is developed according to the luxurious urban river cruise boutique model, serving a maximum of 99 guests per trip, combining cultural, culinary and entertainment experiences on the Saigon River.
The yacht is developed according to ESG standards, taking cultural heritage as the motto for tourism economic development, with a commitment to reduce plastic waste and limit environmental impact. The project is also the starting point for our plan to build a fleet of 10 boutique yachts, with a total investment of about 38 million USD," Mr. Pham Ha shared.
This businessman revealed that the project is part of the Vietnam Waterways 2045 vision, aimed at developing a waterway tourism network connecting rivers and sea areas of Vietnam. In the future, yacht journeys will aim to connect Mekong - Cambodia - Con Dao, creating a diverse river-sea tourism ecosystem, opening up many new attractive experiences for international tourists to Vietnam.
The emergence of breakthrough products shows that river tourism in Ho Chi Minh City is entering a new stage of development, not only stopping at landscape exploitation but aiming to create in-depth experiences, associated with local culture and identity.
From a broader perspective, the appearance of high-quality river tourism products at VITM 2026 reflects the trend of shifting Vietnamese tourism to a development model based on quality and value. If synchronously invested in infrastructure, products and management, rivers - once historical trading axes - can completely become a new tourism development axis.
This is considered one of the noteworthy directions, when the problem of the tourism industry is no longer limited to the number of visitors, but the value brought to each journey.
