The attraction of experience at destinations
The network of popular eateries, alleys and bustling food streets has become a vibrant brand of Ho Chi Minh City for international friends. At Ho Thi Ky food street, the number of foreign tourists coming to explore local culture is always bustling.
Mr. Steve (British tourist) expressed his excitement: "The dishes here are extremely diverse, the cost is much cheaper than at home and the sellers are always ready to adjust the spiciness according to the customer's taste. The hospitality and thoughtfulness of the people make my trip truly complete.
This cultural connection also brings direct revenue to business households. Mr. Huynh Hai Dang, representative of a grill restaurant on Ho Thi Ky food street, said: "International customers visit the restaurant very crowded. European customers prefer to choose a few skewers to taste, while Asian customers often order more skewers. Thanks to that, on weekdays, the restaurant maintains a revenue of 4-5 million VND, and during holidays and Tet peak seasons, it can reach 8-10 million VND/day.
Recently, Time Out magazine (UK) announced the list "Cities with the best street food in the world in 2026", in which Ho Chi Minh City ranked No. 1 with 63% of survey participants voting, becoming the city with the highest street food rated in the world in 2026. This result is based on a survey of more than 24,000 urban residents worldwide.
According to Time Out, Ho Chi Minh City currently has 6 Michelin-starred restaurants, many of which have brought street food to a new level. However, the most complete experience is still in popular eateries in alleys.
Shaping strategic product lines, creating growth momentum
To maximize existing advantages, the city's tourism industry identifies street food combined with nighttime economic development as one of the top priorities.
Mr. Le Truong Hien Hoa - Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism - emphasized that cuisine is a typical product that needs to be nurtured and preserved from the local roots.
The advantage of the network of 168 wards, communes, and special zones creates favorable conditions for the tourism industry to coordinate with local authorities to build new destinations, both standardizing quality and preserving unique features to widely promote to tourists.
In fact, according to statistics from the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, in the first 7 months of 2026, the city is estimated to welcome more than 7.13 million international visitors (up 42.7% compared to the same period in 2025) and nearly 31.68 million domestic visitors; total tourism revenue is estimated to reach 237,466 billion VND, an increase of 53.3% and completing 72% of the year plan. Culinary tourism continues to affirm its brand.
