ITE HCMC - a connecting platform for the tourism industry
Speaking at the press conference announcing and introducing the 20th Ho Chi Minh City International Tourism Fair (ITE HCMC 2026), Mr. Pham Huy Binh - Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism said that 2026 marks a special milestone when the fair enters its 20th year of organization.
This is not only a milestone of 2 decades of formation and development, but also the companionship and trust of management agencies, localities, businesses and international partners over the past time.
That belief has helped ITE HCMC continuously develop, expand its scale, improve its quality and gradually affirm its position as a prestigious annual international tourism trade promotion event of Vietnam and the region," Mr. Binh said.
Leaders of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism said that with the theme "Vibrant Connection - Global Destination", the value of ITE HCMC is not only in the scale of organization but also in the depth of connection, cooperation and dialogue activities.
The fact that Ho Chi Minh City simultaneously hosts the Mekong Subregion Tourism Ministers' Meetings and many forums on sustainable development, artificial intelligence, destination brand management and innovative startups will create a rare synergy between tourism diplomacy, trade promotion and knowledge sharing.
In addition, implementing the direction of the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee on strengthening the mobilization of social resources in organizing city events, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism has coordinated with airlines, businesses and many domestic and international organizations to jointly participate in organizing the fair.
According to Mr. Binh, this is not only proof of the effectiveness of the public-private partnership model in tourism development but also contributes to improving the quality of ITE HCMC organization, thereby aiming for the city's double-digit economic growth target in the coming time.
He also hopes that the fair will bring practical value to both businesses and people through stimulus programs and tourism incentives, contributing to making Ho Chi Minh City a global destination, where people themselves participate in creating and developing the tourism industry.
More than 520 exhibition units, 260 international buyers participate
Taking place from August 27-29 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), ITE HCMC 2026 is considered the largest-scale fair since its first organization in 2005. The fair is expected to gather more than 520 exhibition and brand units, 34 provinces and cities, 260 international buyers from more than 40 countries and territories, about 600 international delegates, more than 21,000 B2B trade appointments and about 30,000 visitors.
One of the highlights of ITE HCMC 2026 is the Hosted Buyers Program - a professional trade promotion model and also the only program in Vietnam that selects, invites and sponsors international travel buyers with capacity and practical cooperation needs. This year, the program is expected to gather 260 high-end buyers from many key markets around the world, creating conditions for Vietnamese businesses to connect directly with international partners.
According to the organizers, with its scale and increasingly expanding connection activities, ITE HCMC 2026 is expected to continue to become a "hub" to help Vietnamese tourism businesses expand their markets, find partners and contribute to accelerating the attraction of international visitors in the new period.
