The announcement was made on April 10 in Hanoi on the sidelines of the Vietnam International Travel Mart (VITM 2026) at a press briefing jointly held by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism and relevant units.

ITE HCMC 2026 is scheduled to take place from August 27 to 29 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), along with a series of side events at hotels, convention centers and destinations across Ho Chi Minh City.

According to Le Truong Hien Hoa, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, the theme “Vibrant Connectivity” reflects a borderless tourism ecosystem where digital technology and artificial intelligence intertwine with heritage values, creating flexible, practical and effective bridges between regulators, businesses and international partners.

Meanwhile, “Global Destination” signals a commitment to elevating Ho Chi Minh City’s tourism standing and affirms ITE HCMC’s role as a reputable regional meeting point connecting visitor flows, products, trends and tourism cooperation opportunities.

Entering its 20th edition, the event marks an important milestone in the expo’s development and underscores the increasingly prominent role of Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam on the global tourism map.

ITE HCMC 2026 is positioned as a leading international tourism promotion platform, bringing together management and promotion agencies, businesses, experts, media and international buyers to create new value for the tourism sector as global trends shift toward green, smart and sustainable development.

Le Truong Hien Hoa said ITE HCMC 2026 demonstrates Vietnam’s commitment to proactive international integration and its readiness to make stronger advances while raising its position on the global tourism map.

The event is expected to attract more than 520 exhibitors and 34 localities from Vietnam, along with 260 high-end international buyers from over 32 countries and territories, up 10% from 2025. Visitor numbers are projected to exceed 30,000, up 15%, with around 20,050 business appointments between tourism enterprises.

Ho Chi Minh City’s tourism sector continues to adjust its international market strategy toward diversification, greater adaptability and ensuring economic efficiency, while maintaining MICE and high-end tourist segments to contribute to stabilizing overall industry operations.

The expo will focus on promoting cooperation in priority markets such as Northeast Asia, Western Europe, North America, Southeast Asia, Oceania and India, thereby supporting localities and businesses in expanding partnerships, attracting higher-quality visitors and reinforcing the position of Vietnam’s tourism sector, particularly Ho Chi Minh City, as a dynamic destination in the region.

VITM 2026 seeks solutions to attract international tourists to Vietnam

VOV.VN - A number of business-to-business (B2B) networking sessions were organised in Hanoi on April 9 as part of the Vietnam International Travel Mart (VITM) 2026, attracting hundreds of domestic and international businesses to seek opportunities, connections and market expansion.