Saigon tourism readies MICE and culinary draws

From the beginning of January 2026, Ho Chi Minh City's tourism industry has been working with the local travel business community to plan for welcoming tourists during the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026. - Saigon Tours

In particular, many businesses in the industry have prepared their product and service supply chains well in advance and expect to take advantage of the opportunity to increase revenue during the holiday season.

Prioritize key markets
Market observations show that travel businesses in Ho Chi Minh City have proactively developed and introduced a diverse range of short-day tours, city tours, night experience tours, culinary tours, and tours connecting Ho Chi Minh City with neighboring localities. These businesses not only design tour itineraries suitable for the domestic market but also focus on key international markets such as Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, and Europe, which tend to have shorter stays, combining urban sightseeing, culinary experiences, shopping, and participation in activities celebrating the Lunar New Year (Year of the Horse 2026).

Speaking with reporters, Mr. Dung from Viet Lux Travel said that from very early on, Viet Lux has worked with its network of domestic and international suppliers to prepare a wide range of products and services, as well as build stimulus packages for customers. In particular, for Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Lux will launch several distinctive tourism products in late 2025 and early 2026.

For the international market, the company has developed many products to welcome the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026. Among them is the "Foreigners Celebrating Tet in the Mekong Delta" product line, and it is expected that in January 2026, Viet Lux will welcome 6 groups of tourists to participate in the Mekong Delta region. The program for foreign tourists to experience the Lunar New Year has been maintained and developed annually for many years, but this year's "Foreigners Celebrating Tet in the Mekong Delta" has received much positive feedback and tour bookings from the international market.

In the restaurant and hotel sector, Ms. Vu Thi Thanh Hien of Kim Do Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, said that the hotel is busy and excitedly preparing products and services to welcome guests to Ho Chi Minh City before, during, and after the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026. Kim Do Hotel's advantage lies in its location right on Nguyen Hue Street, so every year during the Lunar New Year, it welcomes a large number of guests who come to experience its products and services after visiting the Nguyen Hue Flower Street in the city.

"With the aim of ensuring excellent service for the number of guests staying at Kim Do Hotel in particular, as well as for groups visiting Ho Chi Minh City in general, the hotel is currently actively developing additional accommodation and culinary services. For example, in front of the hotel, Kim Do Hotel is permitted to operate a food service to offer an increasing variety of local dishes to not only international tourists, but also overseas Vietnamese and domestic guests. In addition, Kim Do also has entertainment programs such as lion and dragon dances, and a festival celebrating the Lunar New Year of the Horse 2026, showcasing the rich Vietnamese identity for guests", said Hien.

To date, travel agencies and accommodation establishments in Ho Chi Minh City have implemented measures to improve the quality of their products and services to ensure effective tourism stimulus during this year's Tet holiday and to guarantee safety in the tourism sector. Simultaneously, these businesses are also focusing their product and service development on two main fronts: ensuring product and service quality development, along with effective communication and promotion in key markets.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Association, the tourism industry never takes a break during holidays and Tet (Lunar New Year), and preparations are always underway to serve the potential surge in tourist numbers during peak periods. Travel agencies in Ho Chi Minh City are preparing new products and the best tour programs to meet the demand for the upcoming Tet holiday in 2026. A quick report from several travel agencies indicates that booking airline tickets is currently difficult, demonstrating the high demand for travel during this year's Tet holiday.

Advantages of a "megacity" tourism space
According to experts, 2026 marks a significant milestone as Ho Chi Minh City affirms its position as a "megacity" after the consolidation process, transforming itself into a key economic, cultural, and tourism center of the region. The city has the advantage of attracting large groups of tourists. Besides its urban tourism space, Ho Chi Minh City currently possesses areas for industrial park investment, high-end beach and resort tourism... In this new space, the city can fully accommodate large groups of tourists, and one of the key goals of the tourism industry this year is MICE tourism (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions).

Recently, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism organized a ceremony to welcome the first group of tourists to Ho Chi Minh City in early 2026. This was both an annual welcoming event and a commitment to being a "safe, friendly, and attractive" destination. Through this, the city's tourism industry aims to fully convey the spirit of "openness, youthfulness, vibrancy, enthusiasm, and a forward-looking perspective" to international friends, creating momentum to boost domestic and international tourism growth from the very beginning of the year.

Statistics show that during the 2026 New Year holiday, Ho Chi Minh City's tourism revenue reached VND 2,632 billion. The number of visitors to tourist areas and attractions reached 1,240,000; international visitors reached 75,726; and hotel occupancy reached approximately 75%. In addition, revenue from food, shopping, and entertainment activities increased significantly, contributing to a favorable start for tourism in 2026. These positive signs motivate businesses to prepare and be ready to serve during the 2026 Lunar New Year (Year of the Horse); and allow Ho Chi Minh City's tourism industry to strive for high revenue.

Regarding the plan for the Lunar New Year (Tet) celebration in 2026, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, said that, as in previous years, the department will continue to implement previous programs. However, with a new space and a new status, Ho Chi Minh City will develop higher quality and more distinctive programs. Programs spearheaded by the City's Department of Tourism will have fixed dates so that not only domestic but also international tourists are aware of and participate in the city's activities during the annual Lunar New Year.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism organizes tourist information booths, providing visitors with publications introducing unique inner-city tours and routes, "Culinary Passports," and souvenir gifts. The Department also promotes tourism by displaying souvenir products that reflect Vietnamese cultural values; and providing information on promotional programs and discount vouchers from airlines and partner businesses.

Ho Chi Minh City's tourism industry hopes to collaborate with the travel business community to welcome visitors, especially international tourists, with friendliness and a memorable experience; contributing to making the city a top favorite destination and a vibrant, unmissable journey for all tourists in 2026.

Source: Megacity HCMC targets Horse Year visitors