The opening ceremony of the 18th International Travel Expo HCM City being held at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre in HCM City’s District 7 on September 5. —VNS Photo

HCM CITY — Nearly 700 leaders from global tourism organisations and businesses from 38 countries and territories are participating in the 18th International Travel Expo HCM City that opened on Thursday at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Centre.

As one of the most influential annual tourism expeditions in the Asian region, ITE HCMC 2024 has seen impressive growth this year, attracting 480 exhibitors. Domestic exhibitors make up 77 per cent and international exhibitors account for 23 per cent.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Nguyễn Văn Dũng, deputy chairman of the city People’s Committee, said: “The tourism trend linked to environmental protection, natural resource conservation, and cultural heritage preservation is essential for the sustainable development of the tourism industry.”

To pursue the goal of sustainable development, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the HCM City People’s Committee have selected the theme “Sustainable Travel - Creating Future” for this year’s expo, he said.

This demonstrates Việt Nam’s commitment to effectively implementing tourism development activities aligned with the 17 sustainable development goals of UNESCO, he said.

ITE HCMC 2024 aims for countries, regions, territories, governments, and businesses to continue pursuing sustainable development goals, rapidly and decisively implementing effective tourism development plans at both national and local levels while contributing to global emission reduction efforts, protecting natural resources, and preserving both living and cultural environments for current and future generations, he said.

After more than two years of recovery, the global tourism industry has almost returned to pre-pandemic levels.

According to the United Nations World Tourism Organization (UNWTO), in the first quarter of 2024, there were over 285 million international tourists globally, reaching 97 per cent of pre-pandemic levels. Asia-Pacific alone reached 82 per cent of pre-pandemic levels.

In Việt Nam, the number of international visitors hit nearly 10 million in the first seven months of 2024, a 51 per cent increase compared to the same period last year and 1.9 per cent higher than in 2019. Along with the recovery in visitor numbers, travel trends have also undergone significant changes.

According to the 2023 Sustainable Travel Report by Booking.com, 80 per cent of global survey participants confirmed that sustainable travel has been increasingly important to them.

In Việt Nam, 97 per cent of Vietnamese tourists surveyed expressed a desire to travel more sustainably in the next 12 months, 75 per cent were willing to pay more for certified sustainable travel options, and 83 per cent hoped to help make destinations greener and cleaner after their visits.

There will be nine specialised seminars and forums during the expo, including the High-Level Forum with the theme “Green Transformation, Net Zero Travel & Tourism - Creating Future” and six seminars on sustainable tourism development.

One of highlights of the expo is the International Buyer Programme, which saw a 10 per cent increase in international buyers compared to last year.

A total of 220 international buyers from 33 countries and territories have set up over 10,000 B2B trade meetings, providing opportunities for networking and signing cooperation agreements.

To promote and introduce Vietnamese culture, cuisine, and tourism to international delegates and tourists, the expo will offer unique experiential tours for international buyers and media.

For the first time, CNN will broadcast the event live on its Marketplace Asia programme, and the presence of over 54 international media agencies from 10 countries and territories will contribute to spreading the image of Việt Nam, showcasing its cultural, culinary, and tourism features to the world.

The “Travel Fun Fair Day” event will feature a travel shopping promotion programme from travel agencies, restaurants, hotels, services, and airlines. Customers can purchase tours and book services at the most preferential prices and discounts of the year.

The expo, organised by the Việt Nam National Authority of Tourism, HCM City Department of Tourism, CIS Vietnam, and Le Bros, will run until Saturday. —VNS