HCM CITY — Hundreds of travel products and tour packages for the summer season are being showcased across 150 booths at the 22nd HCM City Tourism Festival that opened at the September 23 Park in HCM City on Thursday.

The event themed Vibrant Summer Fest has brought together more than 120 businesses in the tourism and service sectors and tourism promotion agencies from more than 20 provinces and cities.

The highlight of this year's event is the summer tourism stimulus programme with hundreds of discounted products and services.

Many exciting activities will be held during the four-day event, including a tourism job fair, tourism discussions, art performances from various provinces, sports and culinary events.

The event is a platform for travel agencies, hotels, airlines, and service providers to directly introduce their offerings, provide detailed consultations, and engage with customers.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism Nguyễn Văn Hùng said the event promotes tourism products and boost economic growth.

He highlighted the diversity of tourism products, which leverage local character through specialised experiences, including river-based travel, heritage tourism, and luxury helicopter tours.

Nguyễn Công Vinh, deputy chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, said the city is focusing on efforts to develop tourism linked to its unique identity, while strongly promoting digital transformation.

Regional linkages will be expanded to create high value-added itineraries, enhancing the competitiveness of Vietnamese tourism in the international market, Vinh said.

Through a series of activities, the festival further clarifies the role of tourism in the economy, not only as a service industry but also as a bridge to promote the country's image and connect with international friends, he said.

Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Ánh, CEO of Viet Media Travel Corporation, said that despite current market hurdles, her company is developing many domestic and international tour programmes at suitable prices to attract customers.

Around 70-80 per cent of tours departing during the upcoming Reunification Day (April 30) and May Day holiday have already fully booked, she said. —VNS