According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, the city’s tourism revenue in the first five months of the year was estimated at VND193 trillion, fulfilling about 58.5% of the annual target. The city welcomed more than 5.59 million international visitors, achieving around 50.8% of the annual target, while domestic tourist arrivals reached nearly 23 million, corresponding to 45.9% of the annual plan.

Notably, tourism revenue growth is currently outpacing visitor growth, indicating that average tourist spending is improving. This marks a significant shift from previous years, when Ho Chi Minh City’s tourism growth largely depended on large volumes of domestic tourists and short-term trips.

During the Hung Kings Commemoration Day holiday and the nine-day Reunification Day and International Workers’ Day break from April 30 to May 1, the city welcomed around 190,000 international visitors and 1.5 million domestic travelers, generating an estimated VND8.7 trillion in tourism revenue.

Large crowds of visitors continued gathering in central areas, food streets, river ports, and inner-city entertainment areas. Many nightlife activities in downtown Ho Chi Minh City continued attracting large numbers of visitors after 8 p.m., instead of declining sharply immediately after the holiday period as seen in previous years.

Ho Chi Minh City is currently prioritizing high-spending tourist markets with stable air connectivity, including the Republic of Korea, Japan, Australia, India, and Southeast Asian countries.

At the same time, the city is focusing on tourism products capable of extending visitor stays and increasing spending, such as Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions (MICE) tourism, medical tourism, culinary tourism, river tours, night-time economy products, and helicopter sightseeing services.

The city’s night tourism space is also expanding through a wide range of activities along the Saigon River, walking streets, night food streets, and entertainment-commercial complexes. These are considered key strategies to enhance urban tourism experiences for international visitors.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism reported, international tourists are now spending more time enjoying culinary experiences, night tours, riverside activities, and inner-city entertainment services rather than only visiting traditional tourist attractions.

Instead of pursuing mass tourism growth alone, Ho Chi Minh City is shifting toward a higher value-added tourism model that encourages visitors to spend more on dining, shopping, entertainment, and urban experiences.

In the coming period, the city will continue developing community tourism, eco-tourism, and night-time economy products while strengthening tourism promotion activities. Ho Chi Minh City is also preparing for several major upcoming events, including the 8th Ho Chi Minh City International Marathon in 2026 and the 20th Ho Chi Minh City International Travel Expo (ITE HCMC 2026).

HCM City posts US$100-million tourism revenue during New Year holiday

Ho Chi Minh City raked in VND2.63 trillion (nearly US$100 million) from tourism activities during the New Year holiday from January 1 to 4, the municipal Department of Tourism has reported.