Ho Chi Minh City’s tourism sector earned VND56.662 trillion (US$2.2 billion) in January-March, a 26.7-percent increase from the same period last year, driven by cultural events and growth in international visitors, according to the city’s Department of Tourism.

International visitors to Ho Chi Minh City reached over 1.6 million in the first three months, an increase of more than 18 percent compared to the same period last year, which saw over 1.3 million visitors. 

In March alone, the figure was nearly 600,000 visitors, up nearly 23 percent year on year.

Meanwhile, domestic tourists numbered more than 8.5 million, compared to the eight million in the same period in 2024, marking a 6.3-percent increase.

Experts believe that Ho Chi Minh City’s cultural tourism resources are diverse, with great potential to provide a competitive advantage and attract more visitors.

While promoting tourism as a key economic sector and positioning the city as an event destination, Ho Chi Minh City has hosted numerous events that draw tourists from the beginning of the year through to the end-of-year tourism season.

The Nguyen Hue Flower Street, the Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival, the Vietnamese Bread Festival, and the Ho Chi Minh City River Festival are notable cultural tourism products that have attracted a large number of visitors, boosting tourism growth in the coming quarters.

With this strong growth momentum, Ho Chi Minh City’s tourism sector aims to welcome 8.5 million international visitors and earn revenue of VND260 trillion ($10.2 billion) in 2025, surging more than 40 and 37 percent, respectively.

According to experts, the targets are ambitious and challenging, especially as other countries in the region such as Thailand, Indonesia, and Malaysia have developed strong strategies to attract international tourists.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam!