The Ho Chi Minh City tourism sector’s robust growth is increasingly intertwined with the expanding role of overseas Vietnamese (OVs), who are helping draw international visitors and promote the image of a dynamic, compassionate metropolis.

VOV.VN - Encouraging results at the start of 2026 are opening new prospects and creating fresh impetus for growth across Vietnam’s tourism sector.

Vietnam promoted its tourism strengths at the HOLIDAY & SPA EXPO 2026, one of the largest annual travel fairs in Bulgaria and the Balkan region, in a bid to expand its presence in Southeast Europe.

Vietnam’s tourism industry is entering a new growth phase, with Ho Chi Minh City’s special policies opening space and groundbreaking initiatives for leading enterprises, creating a “golden opportunity” for transformation, innovation and strategic growth toward 2035.

VOV.VN - Vietnam has reaffirmed its strong support for and commitment to actively implementing the ASEAN Tourism Sectoral Plan 2026–2030, said Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Ho An Phong at the 2026 ASEAN Tourism Conference in Cebu, the Philippines, on January 29.

Ho Chi Minh City's rich and varied cultural heritage remains largely untapped, held back by the absence of a unified strategy. As a result, cultural tourism plays a supporting role rather than stepping into the spotlight as the true heartbeat of its urban tourism sector.

According to statistics, bookings for flights to the central coastal province of Khanh Hoa on China’s Ctrip platform in 2025 rose by 28% year-on-year, heard at a working session on ways to increase the number of Chinese arrivals held by the provincial tourism sector on January 22.

Building a comprehensive and consistent tourism data system is emerging as a crucial condition for Vietnam’s tourism sector to strengthen governance capacity, improve competitiveness and enhance visitor experiences.

Ho Chi Minh City’s tourism sector has set the target of welcoming 61 million visitors in 2026, including 11 million international arrivals, and earning VND330 trillion (US$12.5 billion) in revenue.

Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh has emphasised that the culture, sports, and tourism sector must embrace innovative mindset and decisive action to achieve tangible results, creating a vibrant space for development in the new era and positioning culture as both intrinsic strength of the nation.