ITE HCMC 2026 Enters Final Countdown, Set to Become Vietnam’s Largest International Tourism Expo

20th edition brings together 520+ exhibitors, 260 international hosted buyers, 21,000+ pre-scheduled B2B meetings and three Tourism Ministers’ Meetings

HO CHI MINH CITY, VIETNAM: With less than three weeks remaining before its opening, the 20th Ho Chi Minh City International Travel Expo (ITE HCMC 2026) has completed preparations for what is expected to be its largest and most ambitious edition since the event was launched in 2005.

Scheduled for 27–29 August 2026 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) in Ho Chi Minh City, the 20th-anniversary edition will be held under the theme “Vibrant Connections – Global Destinations.” The Expo is positioned as a major international platform for tourism trade, destination promotion, business networking, policy dialogue and regional tourism cooperation.

ITE HCMC 2026 is organized under the direction of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City, and jointly organized by the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism and the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, together with the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Promotion Center, C.I.S Vietnam Advertising & Exhibition Joint Stock Company and other participating agencies and organizations.

The scale of the 20th edition reflects the rapid transformation of ITE HCMC over the past two decades. The Expo is expected to bring together more than 520 exhibitors and brands, 34 provinces and cities, 260 international hosted buyers from more than 40 countries and territories, approximately 600 international delegates, 50 high-level delegations, more than 21,000 pre-scheduled B2B appointments, around 30,000 visitors and approximately 60 international media outlets.

First held in 2005, ITE HCMC has evolved significantly from its early years, becoming one of Vietnam’s leading platforms for international tourism trade promotion.
During the period from 2005 to 2010, the Expo attracted approximately 210 exhibitors and brands, 120 international buyers from 18 countries and territories and more than 3,200 B2B appointments.

By 2026, those figures have expanded dramatically. The number of exhibitors has more than doubled, the international buyer programme has more than doubled in scale, while pre-scheduled B2B meetings have crossed the 21,000 mark.
The growth in business appointments is particularly significant, representing an increase of more than eight times compared with the Expo’s early years. It underlines the growing importance of ITE HCMC as a serious business platform connecting destinations, tourism suppliers and international buyers.

Beyond the exhibition floor, the Expo has contributed to the development of new tourism linkages, cooperation agreements, tourism products and investment opportunities, strengthening the competitiveness and international visibility of Vietnam’s tourism sector.
One of the most distinctive elements of ITE HCMC is its Hosted Buyers Programme, designed to connect qualified international tourism buyers with Vietnamese destinations and tourism businesses.

For the 2026 edition, 260 high-level international buyers from more than 40 countries and territories are expected to participate. The buyers represent markets across Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, South Asia, the Middle East, Europe, North America and Oceania.
The participating organizations include major international tourism and travel groups such as TUI Group, DERTOUR, Travco Corporation, American Express Global Business Travel, Flight Centre Travel Group, Thomas Cook, Trip.com Group, Education First, Luxury Escapes, DidaTravel, FCM Travel India, Uniworld Boutique River Cruises, Ignite Travel Group, Goway, Remote Lands, Collette, BCD Meetings & Events, HelmsBriscoe, Fora Travel, Travel Edge and MCI Group, among others.

The business programme begins even before the official opening of the Expo with the Buyers-Sellers Speed Dating session on 26 August.

This will be followed by the main B2B Business Matching Programme on 27 and 28 August, featuring more than 21,000 pre-scheduled appointments. Meetings are structured according to product portfolios, target markets and specific business requirements, allowing exhibitors and buyers to focus on commercially relevant partnerships.
The Hosted Buyers and international media will also participate in pre- and post-show familiarization tours, giving destinations an opportunity to demonstrate their products and experiences directly to international decision-makers.

For the international MICE industry, one of the key highlights will be the High-Level Tourism Forum on 27 August, themed “Shaping the Future of MICE Tourism: Innovation, Sustainability and Global Connectivity.”

The forum will bring together representatives from government and tourism authorities along with international organizations and industry leaders, including the Global Sustainable Tourism Council (GSTC), Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau (TCEB), Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA), Mastercard and Google.

The focus reflects the changing nature of business events, where destinations are increasingly competing not only on infrastructure but also on sustainability, technology, connectivity, creativity and the ability to deliver meaningful experiences.
For Vietnam, the development of MICE tourism represents an important opportunity to attract higher-value international visitors, extend visitor stays and generate wider economic benefits across hospitality, transportation, entertainment and local tourism businesses.

ITE HCMC 2026 will create the Expo’s largest exhibition ecosystem to date, bringing together more than 520 exhibitors and brands.

International participation includes leading National Tourism Organizations and tourism promotion agencies such as the Korea Tourism Organization, Japan National Tourism Organization, Malaysia, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, Bhutan, Saint Petersburg in the Russian Federation and Nicaragua, alongside numerous other international partners.
The domestic exhibition floor will feature 34 provinces and cities across Vietnam, as well as companies representing travel, accommodation, aviation, transportation and tourism technology.

The result is expected to be a broad tourism marketplace where buyers can discover new destinations, hotels, resorts, experiences, products and services while exhibitors gain access to international markets.

One of the biggest highlights of ITE HCMC 2026 will take place beyond the exhibition floor.
Ho Chi Minh City will simultaneously host three Tourism Ministers’ Meetings involving Mekong subregional cooperation frameworks, reinforcing the city’s growing role as a hub for regional tourism cooperation.

The 1st Cambodia–Laos–Viet Nam (CLV) Tourism Ministers’ Meeting will take place on 26 August, focusing on tourism linkages, joint tourism products and visitor exchanges.
On 27 August, the 7th ACMECS Tourism Ministers’ Meeting will discuss tourism connectivity and sustainable development, while the 8th Cambodia–Laos–Myanmar–Viet Nam (CLMV) Tourism Ministers’ Meeting will review tourism cooperation and identify strategic directions for the next phase.

The Tourism Technology Investment & Startup Connection Day will bring together 11 Korean tourism startups introduced by the Korea Tourism Organization and CNTTECH, along with investment funds and partners connected with the Startup World Cup ecosystem.
Another international highlight will be TEDx Ho Chi Minh City 2026, under the theme “Vibrant Ho Chi Minh City,” focusing on cultural stories, innovation and sustainable tourism development.

ITE HCMC 2026 will also expand its public-facing programme, transforming the Expo into a three-day tourism and cultural celebration.
From the afternoon of 27 August through 29 August, visitors will be able to discover destinations, tourism products, special travel offers, OCOP products and local specialties from across Vietnam.
Cultural performances, culinary experiences, interactive activities and destination promotions will provide consumers with opportunities to engage directly with tourism brands.
This public dimension is expected to help participating businesses strengthen brand visibility while stimulating travel demand and tourism spending.
ITE HCMC 2026 is also preparing an extensive international communications campaign before, during and after the Expo.
Approximately 60 international media outlets, trade publications, content creators, KOLs and digital media platforms are expected to participate.
The International Media Programme will complement the Hosted Buyers Programme and destination familiarization tours, creating additional opportunities for Vietnamese destinations and tourism businesses to reach international audiences.
As ITE HCMC marks its 20th anniversary, the Expo is therefore positioning itself not simply as an annual exhibition, but as an integrated platform combining tourism trade, MICE, destination marketing, international media, government dialogue, business networking and regional cooperation.

Pham Huy Binh, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, said the 20th anniversary represents more than a milestone, describing it as a reflection of the Expo’s growing scale, quality and international standing.

He highlighted the combination of the Tourism Ministers’ Meetings, international forums, AI and technology discussions, destination branding, medical tourism and MICE tourism as evidence of the Expo’s increasingly comprehensive role.

He also emphasized the importance of public-private partnerships in strengthening the event, with airlines, businesses and organizations contributing support for transportation, accommodation, familiarization tours and professional programmes.

As ITE HCMC 2026 enters its final countdown, its 20th edition represents both a celebration of the Expo’s two-decade journey and a statement of ambition for Vietnam’s next phase of tourism development.

With 520+ exhibitors, 260 international buyers, 21,000+ B2B appointments, 34 Vietnamese destinations, three Tourism Ministers’ Meetings and an extensive programme spanning MICE, technology, sustainability, destination branding and cultural experiences, ITE HCMC 2026 is set to become a major meeting point for the international tourism community.

Under the theme “Vibrant Connections – Global Destinations,” the Expo aims to turn connections into commercial partnerships, policy dialogue into regional cooperation and destination promotion into new opportunities for Vietnam’s tourism industry.