Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Festival 2023: Vibrant Crossroads

The annual festival was kicked off today [April 6] in Vietnam’s southern economic hub of Ho Chi Minh City as part of efforts to promote inbound and outbound tourism amid strong recovery post-pandemic.

The four-day event gathers more than 120 booths of travel agents which all offer sales for domestic and international tours.

“Ho Chi Minh City – Vibrant Crossroads” will connect tourist attractions and regions across Vietnam through conferences, photo exhibitions, job bazaars, business matchmaking, and tourism promotion programs.

The festival this year is expected to welcome more than 150,000 attendees, the figure recorded in the last year’s event when Covid-19 remained stricken.

Travel industry is one of the key sectors contributing to Vietnam’s GDP. According to statistics provided by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), prior to the Covid-19 pandemic (in 2019), the Southeast Asian nation’s tourism industry generated VND755 trillion (US$32.8 billion) and welcomed a record-breaking 18 million foreign visitors and 85 million domestic visitors as well.

In 2022, the number of domestic tourists surpassed 100 million.

Travel festivals are among many events designed to encourage the traveling of both resident and non-resident visitors. 

Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Festival 2023 is the 19th event of its kind. Photo: Tuyet Nguyen/Mekong Environment Forum (MEF)

"Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Festival 2023: Vibrant Crossroads" kicked off in District 1, HCMC on April 6. Photo: Tuyet Nguyen/MEF

The festival connects tourist destinations across Vietnam. Photo: Tuyet Nguyen/MEF

Photo exhibition at the festival. Photo: Tuyet Nguyen/MEF

The space of culture and tourism of Northwest Vietnam. Photo: Tuyet Nguyen/MEF

Lao Cai, which is home to well-known Sa Pa, appears with the slogan: "Find yourself in the clouds". Photo: Tuyet Nguyen/MEF

Yen Bai in the Northwest is famous for Mu Cang Chai spectacular terraced ricefields and picturesque landscape. Photo: Tuyet Nguyen/MEF

Thua Thien Hue and Quang Binh in Central Vietnam, home to UNESCO-recognized tangible and intangible cultural heritage and the world's largest cave Son Doong, respectively. Photo: Tuyet Nguyen/MEF

Nha Trang City in the central province of Khanh Hoa is home to world-class beaches with some of them listed as the world's best ones. Photo: Tuyet Nguyen/MEF

Binh Thuan with "blue sea, white sand, sunshine" - the destination of Vietnam's National Tourism Year 2023. Photo: Tuyet Nguyen/MEF

Binh Phuoc - cashew capital of Vietnam, is not far from Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Tuyet Nguyen/MEF

Can Tho - the largest economic hub in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam's most productive agriculture and aquaculture region. Photo: Tuyet Nguyen/MEF

Dong Thap in the Mekong Delta is famous for immense lotus fields and preserved nature. Photo: Tuyet Nguyen/MEF

Viettravel - one of the biggest travel agents in Vietnam. Photo: Tuyet Nguyen/MEF

Saigontourist, another big travel agent. Photo: Tuyet Nguyen/MEF