Vu The Binh, Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association, briefed the press on VITM 2026.

The event is designed not only for the domestic market but also to serve as a platform for deeper engagement with international partners, particularly as Vietnam accelerates tourism integration and strengthens its position within global tourism value chains.

According to the organizers, VITM 2026 will feature around 450 booths, attracting more than 600 tourism enterprises from both Vietnam and abroad, including participants from 15 countries and territories and 34 provinces and cities nationwide. The event is expected to welcome approximately 80,000 visitors, creating a vibrant and effective trading environment.

A key highlight of the fair is the Business-to-Business (B2B) networking programme on April 9, dedicated exclusively to enterprises, with the participation of approximately 350 - 400 organisations, including 150 international travel companies and 200 Vietnamese firms. This provides an opportunity for stakeholders to meet, exchange ideas, sign cooperation agreements and expand markets amid the strong recovery of the tourism industry.

For international businesses, the B2B programme serves as a focal platform to identify local partners, develop joint tourism products, and gain direct insights into the demand and evolving trends of Vietnam’s tourism market-one of the fastest-growing in Asia.

The fair will open to the public and visitors from April 10 to 12, offering a wide range of activities including destination promotion, the introduction of new tourism products, promotional packages, and emerging travel trends linked to technology and sustainable development.

International visitors will have the opportunity to explore a diverse range of tourism offerings from across Vietnam, spanning cultural, nature-based and resort tourism, while also experiencing first-hand the latest technological applications in tourism promotion and distribution.

A series of conferences and thematic seminars will also be held, focusing on digital tourism, green tourism, and the application of technology in tourism management and business. These include tourism promotion programmes for Gia Lai and Lai Chau provinces; a joint promotion conference for Ninh Binh, Hung Yen and Ca Mau; as well as a conference introducing Ho Chi Minh City’s tourism event calendar for 2026.

These forums will also provide policy insights and market trends, helping international investors and businesses better understand the business environment, development orientations, and cooperation opportunities within Vietnam’s tourism sector.

Vu The Binh, Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association, emphasized: “Green transformation has increasingly gained attention within the tourism sector; however, the pace of implementation remains relatively slow compared to global trends. Although numerous workshops and projects have been conducted and various initiatives launched in a structured and systematic manner, their actual effectiveness has yet to meet expectations. Surveys in many countries show that green transformation has become a common standard, particularly in minimizing the use of plastic products. Given this reality, we believe it is necessary to further accelerate green transformation in tourism activities, considering it a key factor in building a strong tourism brand and attracting visitors in a sustainable manner.”

Alongside green growth, digital transformation is being implemented nationwide, generating tangible impacts on tourism businesses. The application of digital technologies, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), has supported management, operations and product development. However, this process still requires systematic investment in financial resources, human capital and strategic alignment with practical business needs.

According to Nguyen Thi Hoa Mai, Deputy Director General of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, the Vietnam International Travel Mart is a large-scale national event. Therefore, stakeholders should place greater emphasis on promotion and investment attraction, while creating favourable conditions for enterprises to strengthen connectivity, partnerships and expand opportunities in the tourism sector.

She also stressed that activities should be organised in a practical and market-oriented manner, contributing to Vietnam’s target of welcoming 25 million international visitors in 2026, while effectively implementing Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW of the Politburo on the development of Vietnamese culture.

The organisation of VITM 2026 is also expected to enhance the competitiveness of Vietnam’s tourism industry in the global market, through stronger value chain linkages, product innovation, and adaptation to international standards of sustainable development.