Ho Chi Minh City welcomes nearly 700,000 int’l visitors in 1st month of administrative merger

This is the city’s first tourism report since its administrative merger with Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau Provinces.

Ther merger of the three localities, effective from July 1, is part of a recent major administrative restructuring in which Vietnam’s total number of provinces and cities was reduced to 34 from 63.

The total number of foreign tourists to the city in January-July exceeded 4.5 million, up sharply from the over three million in the same period in 2024 and meeting nearly 54 percent of the city's 2025 target.

As for domestic tourists, nearly 3.4 million visits have been recorded to the city this month, a 15-percent increase compared to the same period in 2024.

In total, the city welcomed almost 22 million visitors in January-July, rising 8.2 percent year on year and reaching 48.3 percent of the full-year target.

In terms of revenue, the city's tourism industry generated VND140.305 trillion (US$5.4 billion) in the seven-month period, marking a nearly-30-percent hike compared to the same period in 2024, and achieving 54 percent of the 2025 target.

The administrative boundary expansion has created opportunities for the development of new tourist products, prompting some tourism companies to adjust their business plans from the beginning of the third quarter of 2025.

They aim to tap into new markets with a variety of new tourism products, expecting continued revenue growth.

Furthermore, the city's tourism industry is refining its signature products, with notable offerings such as sea culture series.

Ho Chi Minh City's tourism is also poised to benefit from major events, such as the International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City and the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Week.

With nearly 93,000 accommodation rooms, ranging from luxury hotels to homestays, eco-resorts, shopping malls, international hospitals, golf courses, and entertainment centers, the city is well-equipped to cater to both large domestic groups and high-end international tourists.

The municipal Department of Tourism recognizes that Ho Chi Minh City is facing a golden opportunity to revitalize its tourism industry, given its diverse resources and vast market.

Following the merger with Binh Duong and Ba Ria-Vung Tau Provinces, Ho Chi Minh City boasts 681 potential tourist destinations.

These range from urban areas, craft villages, industrial zones, riverfronts, and islands to architectural heritage sites, modern museums, traditional markets, street food, creative spaces, and festivals, all fostering the development of MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) tours, city tours, cultural tourism, and nighttime tourism products.