Ho Chi Minh City, September 4th, 2025 – The opening ceremony of the 19th Ho Chi Minh City International Travel Expo 2025; Export Forum 2025 and the event “Connecting international goods supply chains” officially opened on the morning of September 4th, 2025, at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC), 799 Nguyen Van Linh, Tan My Ward, Ho Chi Minh City.

This is a series of key events jointly organized by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City.

The three events are jointly organized in the same space and time, aim to promote the success of each event over many years and opening up opportunities for multilateral and multi-sectoral cooperation and linkage. This promises to be the driving force to create outstanding potential and momentum for tourism – trade – investment and export sectors in the context of international integration, contributing to repositioning the tourism and trade brand of Vietnam in general and Ho Chi Minh City in particular. If ITE HCMC 2025 brings the message of “Sustainable Tourism – Vibrant Experience” to more than 500 businesses, 250 high-end buyers and tens of thousands of visitors, the Export Forum and the Event “Connecting the international supply chain” open the door to trade, welcoming more than 450 distribution channels, purchasing delegations from 60 countries and territories, exploring more than 12,000 products of Vietnam’s key industries. More than ever, the cooperation between ministries and sectors is a testament to a dynamic, creative and sustainable Vietnam in the new era – the era of integration and reaching out to the international stage.

Attending the Opening Ceremony, the event respectfully welcomed the participation of Mr. Nguyen Minh Triet, Former Politburo Member, Former President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; Mr. Tran Luu Quang, Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Secretary of the Ho Chi Minh City Party Committee; Mr. Mai Van Chinh, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Prime Minister of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; Mr. Truong My Hoa, Former Secretary of the Party Central Committee, Former Vice President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; Mr. Dang Thi Ngoc Thinh, Former Member of the Party Central Committee, Former Vice President of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam; Mr. Nguyen Van Hung, Member of the Party Central Committee, Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Mr. Nguyen Van Duoc, Member of the Party Central Committee, Deputy Secretary of the City Party Committee, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City; Leaders of central ministries and branches, leaders and former leaders of the Ho Chi Minh Party Committee – People’s Council – People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, together with representatives and leaders of provinces and cities of Vietnam and international cities, offices, foreign diplomatic agencies and international organizations in Ho Chi Minh City; Consuls General; representatives of consular agencies, economic – trade – cultural offices in Ho Chi Minh City; leaders of corporations, tourism businesses, media partners and nearly 700 domestic and international delegates attending ITE HCMC 2025 (Attached is the list of delegates)

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Mr. Nguyen Van Dung – Vice Chairman of Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee emphasized:

“After merging with Ba Ria – Vung Tau province and Binh Duong province, Ho Chi Minh City has an area of ​​6,773 km², equivalent to 2.04% of the country’s area, but has become a megacity – the largest economic – financial – logistics – trade – services and tourism center in the country with a population of nearly 14 million people, of which more than 7.5 million are of working age, equivalent to 13.8% of the total labor force nationwide, contributing about 22.3% of the country’s GRDP, total import-export turnover reached 179.3 billion USD, accounting for 22.8% of the country’s total turnover; retail sales of goods and services reached 1,683 trillion VND, equivalent to 26.3% of the country; tourism revenue reached more than 200 trillion VND, accounting for about 25% of the country’s tourism revenue. With that position and advantage of Ho Chi Minh City, in the proud echo of the series of activities of the Celebrating 50 years of construction and strong development of the Southern City honored to be named after the great President Ho Chi Minh (1975 – 2025) and welcoming the 80th anniversary of the National Day of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (September 2nd, 1945 – September 2nd, 2025), for the first time, three major flows – tourism, trade and international integration – have been connected into a series of large-scale and synchronous events, demonstrating the close inter-level and inter-sectoral coordination between the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the Ministry of Industry and Trade and the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City. Today’s event is not only a “convergence”, but also the intersection of the capacity and development aspirations of Ho Chi Minh City”

He affirmed: “Holding three events at the same time is a symbol of harmony in development strategy and vision. This is also a testament to the City’s commitment: always accompanying and creating the most favorable environment for domestic and international enterprises to develop together, to spread good values, to build a green, sustainable and creative economic – tourism – trade ecosystem”

The series of events of the 19th Ho Chi Minh City International Travel Expo in 2025; Export Forum in 2025 and the event “Connecting international supply chains” are the convergence of 3 Flows:

+ Ho Chi Minh City International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City 2025 (ITE HCMC 2025) – Sustainable tourism flow

ITE HCMC 2025 Travel Expo defines the strategic vision of Vietnam’s tourism industry in general and Ho Chi Minh City tourism in particular with the theme “Sustainable tourism, Vibrant experiences” not only to raise awareness of sustainable tourism but also to focus on creatively building new products and services, meeting green tourism, responsible tourism and pioneering in encouraging businesses and localities to build unique tourism products with vibrant experiences that impress international buyers towards Vietnam as a destination in the near future.

Honored as “Asia’s Best Trade Show”, ITE HCMC 2025 continues to affirm its role as the only tourism promotion event in Vietnam with an International Buyers program. The expo is a meeting place for most localities in the country as well as many corporations, businesses, and global partners in the field of international tourism and media. This year, the event brings together more than 520 exhibitors and brands, with the participation of 28 provinces and cities nationwide with booths participating in the exhibition. The expo welcomes more than 250 high-level international buyers from 32 countries and territories (Armenia, India, UK, Poland, Portugal, Brazil, Canada, Czech Republic, Denmark, Germany, Indonesia, Korea, Malaysia, USA, Japan, Oman, Paraguay, France, Philippines, Qatar, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Switzerland, China, Tunisia, Australia, Italy), promising to host more than 12,000 business appointments and welcome nearly 30,000 visitors. In particular, the expo has the participation of many large international tourism corporations such as Intrepid (Australia), Collette (USA), G Adventures (USA), Go Way (USA), Flight Centre Travel Group (Australia), Luxury Escapes (Australia), Insider Journeys (Australia), DERTour (Germany), Exodus (UK), Travco Corporation (UK), Miki Travel (UK), Select Tour (France), FRAM (France), Kenes Group (Switzerland), Thomas Cook (India), Chan Brothers MICE & Travel (Singapore), Tidesquare (Korea), NOL Universe (Korea), Fliggy-Alibaba Group (China) and more.

In addition to the exhibition activities, the expo also brings a series of important and practical professional programs such as: High-level Tourism Forum with the theme of digital transformation and green transformation; National Travel Conference 2025; Digital Transformation Seminar – Platform for sustainable tourism development; Seminar on Reshaping Destination Brand Marketing Strategy in the New Context: Connection – Difference – Data; Seminar on National Brand Rising: The Breakthrough Role of Tourism; Seminar on Clean Energy and Sustainable Tourism Development; Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Innovation and Startup Talkshow Series with the theme “Smart Destination, Vibrant Journey”, along with sideline activities such as the Tourism Golf Tournament within the framework of ITE HCMC 2025 – ITE HCMC Golf Tourism Tournament 2025, destination survey program, promising to bring delegates and visitors meaningful experiences.

Export Forum 2025 and event “Connecting international supply chains” – Global trade flows

The 2025 Export Forum and the event “Connecting international supply chains” continue to be a prestigious bridge between Vietnamese enterprises and more than 300 purchasing delegations from 60 countries and territories. More than 12,000 products, 400 Vietnamese enterprises and thousands of B2B connections will open up opportunities for substantive cooperation, contributing to market diversification and deep participation in the global value chain, from agricultural products, processed foods to consumer industrial goods and supporting industrial goods, personal electronic devices, etc. In addition to international purchasing delegations from traditional markets such as the United States, the European Union, Japan, and South Korea, the city also expects many new opportunities from a large number of purchasing delegations from emerging potential markets such as the Middle East, Latin America and countries in Eastern Europe, Central Asia, and South Asia.

3 major international events are held at the same space and time, and concurrently, Ho Chi Minh City hosts the 12th General Assembly of the Tourism Promotion Organization for Global Cities (TPO) – Strong integration flow

Organizing these four events simultaneously will aid in the promotion of the MICE tourism industry, connecting tourism with trade, logistics, and export. This is how Ho Chi Minh City creates a comprehensive economic and tourism week, both attracting visitors and raising its international status. At the same time as organizing the 19th International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City 2025, the 2025 Export Forum and the event “Connecting international supply chains”, Ho Chi Minh City is also honored to be chosen by the Tourism Promotion Organization for Global Cities (TPO) as the host of the 12th General Assembly of the Tourism Promotion Organization for Global Cities (TPO) in 2025 – this convergence will certainly open up many opportunities for Ho Chi Minh City to affirm its role in the journey of creating a national image, a Vietnam that is dynamic – identity – ready to connect and the opportunity to affirm the capacity and potential of a leading Vietnamese megacity that is striving to become an international megacity, top 100 livable cities in the world.

The opening ceremony of three major events – Ho Chi Minh City International Travel Expo 2025, Ho Chi Minh City Export Forum 2025 and the event “Connecting international supply chains” is a special mark in the integration and development journey of Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam. These are not only international events, but also vivid evidence of the spirit of innovation and proactive integration that Ho Chi Minh City is striving to create in its role as the economic – financial, trade – tourism center of the whole country.

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ITE HCMC 2025 is honored to have the support of its strategic partners: Vietnam Airlines – Diamond Sponsor and Official Airline; Saigontourist Group – Diamond Sponsor; SECC – Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center – Gold Sponsor; Thiskyhall – New Generation Convention and Event Center – Venue Sponsor; Sofitel Saigon Plaza Hotel – Venue and Accommodation Sponsor; Nam A Commercial Joint Stock Bank, Đôi Dép Brand – Gift Sponsor; Rex Saigon Hotel, Le Meridien Saigon Hotel, Que Huong Liberty Joint Stock Company, New World Saigon Hotel, Renaissance Riverside Saigon Hotel, M Village, The Grand Ho Tram, The Secret Con Dao Hotel under AKYN Hospitality Group, Malibu Vung Tau Hotel, Vias Vung Tau Hotel, and Melia Ho Tram Hotel – Post-event Accommodation Sponsors; and the active support of ShopeeFood, ACV – Airports Corporation of Vietnam, Bt Tour Event Organization And Community Tourist Company Limited – Tour route sponsor, major domestic and international airlines such as Vietjet – Strategic Airline, Vietravel Airlines, and partners, including Japan Airlines, Turkish Airlines, Emirates, Cebu Pacific, and Cathay Pacific in connecting and transporting potential tourism businesses and international buyers to Vietnam, creating favorable conditions for them to access Vietnam quickly and effectively.