Visitors stroll around Lam Son Square in front of the Ho Chi Minh City Opera House. (Photo: VNA)

The business community in Ho Chi Minh City has proposed several initiatives to unlock the tourism potential, particularly in special zones and suburban areas. These initiatives include diversifying transportation options and enhancing regional connectivity concerning tourism products and services.

The city boasts 681 tourism resources with the potential to be developed into attractive destinations for both domestic and international visitors.

Both domestic tour operators and foreign partners and investors are increasingly focused on key components of the city’s tourism supply chain. Transportation, pick-up and drop-off points in central areas, local tourism workforce training, and regional linkages are key items, as is the broader goal of transforming Ho Chi Minh City into a modern and sustainable tourism hub with a rich network of destinations.

Lieu Thi My Hanh, Executive Director of Les Rives JSC, noted that her firm has invested in 17 speedboats to develop river tourism. Despite favourable conditions, challenges remain. Many river branches across the city, particularly after administrative mergers, hold potential for river tourism but lack public piers or have very limited docking infrastructure for passenger services.

To tackle inner-city transport issues, Ngo Chanh Nga, Director of the Xuyen Mo Ho Tram Ecotourism Company, proposed establishing a public bus route between Ho Tram and Vung Tau, operating daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. She emphasised that such a route will not only highlight the scenic coastal landscape for tourists but also offer affordable transport for both visitors and residents.

Tran Phu Lu, Director of the HCM City Investment and Trade Promotion Centre (ITPC), stated that the merger of administrative units has opened up fresh opportunities for tourism by expanding development space, diversifying tourism offerings, and strengthening regional integration. This also presents a valuable opportunity for the city to reorganise its tourism ecosystem toward a more modern, synchronised, and sustainable model.

Notably, investments in transport and supporting services could facilitate greater private-sector participation and improve connectivity between destinations.

According to Nguyen Thi Thanh Thao, Head of the Tourism Resource Development Planning Division at the municipal Department of Tourism, the city is currently focusing on product development, resource utilisation, and brand positioning. The department is also reviewing its tourism development strategy through to 2030, defining the sector’s core values, and developing distinct product systems.

Six key product groups include festivals and events, waterway tourism, products highlighting the city's cultural values, night tourism, and agricultural, ecological, and community-based tourism.

Tourists visit the Rung Sac Base in Binh Khanh commune, Ho Chi Minh City. (Photo: VNA)

A recent report, City Pulse 2025, by Gensler Research Institute, ranked HCM City among the world’s top cities for resident retention, placing it second globally. This underscores the city's reputation as a liveable, dynamic urban centre, an image that supports efforts to attract investors, experts, and MICE travellers.

Le Truong Hien Hoa, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, affirmed that the department will continue inter-sectoral cooperation to expand green spaces, develop river-based transport systems, and accelerate the completion of metro lines. Existing infrastructure, such as Nguyen Hue pedestrian street, will be leveraged to host a range of cultural, artistic, and entertainment activities that benefit both residents and tourists, thus enhancing the “urban experience” and contributing to sustainable tourism development.

The city is shifting its focus toward ecological and sustainable tourism models, aligned with its vision of a green city. Meanwhile, the business community is being encouraged to create environmentally friendly and socially responsible tourism products, with an emphasis on preserving cultural identity and promoting local values.