SHB and Vietravel sign a comprehensive cooperation agreement to strengthen links between the banking and tourism sectors. — Photos courtesy of SHB

HÀ NỘI — Saigon-Hanoi Commercial Joint Stock Bank (SHB) and Vietravel Tourism Joint Stock Company signed a comprehensive cooperation agreement on November 4, aiming to develop digital financial solutions, promote cashless payments and strengthen connections between their customer and partner networks.

The partnership is expected to combine SHB’s financial and banking technology capabilities with Vietravel’s tourism and travel service network, creating new opportunities for businesses and delivering greater convenience to travellers.

Under the agreement, the two sides will explore solutions tailored to businesses across the tourism value chain, while expanding services and benefits for their respective customers.

SHB and Vietravel will work together to develop banking and financial solutions to support Vietravel’s business operations and improve financial management across its ecosystem.

SHB plans to provide banking products and services tailored to Vietravel’s needs, including payment accounts, cash flow and centralised fund management, collection and payment services, credit facilities, guarantees, international payments, trade finance, letters of credit (L/Cs) and foreign exchange solutions.

The bank will also consider providing payroll services and financial products for Vietravel's employees under its policies from time to time.

Beyond their direct cooperation, the two sides aim to extend their partnership to businesses and partners across the tourism ecosystem, including travel agencies, hotels, resorts, transport providers, event organisers and other service suppliers.

Based on their actual needs, SHB may advise on and develop suitable financial solutions to help these businesses manage cash flows, access funding and improve operational efficiency.

The two sides will also explore QR code payments, electronic payment gateways, online payment services, collection and disbursement solutions, and technology-based applications and integrated platforms.

Integrating financial solutions into business operations, sales and customer services is expected to help Vietravel accelerate digitalisation, improve transaction management and offer travellers a more convenient, secure and seamless payment experience.

Expanding customer networks and benefits

In addition to financial and technology solutions, SHB and Vietravel will explore joint branding initiatives, product and service development, and promotional programmes for their respective customer bases.

For corporate customers, the partners aim to combine financial services with meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE) tourism. This will give businesses access to tailored travel, event and partner-care programmes, alongside SHB’s financial services.

They also plan to jointly organise customer conferences, business forums and appreciation events, while participating in trade, investment and tourism promotion activities and international business networking programmes.

Training activities, experience-sharing sessions and market information exchanges will further support both sides in improving service capabilities and developing products that respond to changing consumer trends.

At the signing ceremony, Đỗ Quang Vinh, SHB’s Vice Chairman of the Board of Directors and Deputy General Director, said the partnership would contribute to the national economy while demonstrating the potential of closer links between finance and tourism.

“The combination of SHB and Vietravel will not only make a positive contribution to the national economy but also affirm that the model of cooperation between finance and tourism has strong potential for growth in the coming years. Every cooperation agreement comes with significant responsibilities, but I have full confidence in the close commitment and collaboration of both teams,” he said.

Now among Việt Nam’s four largest private joint-stock commercial banks, SHB was also named among the Top 10 prestigious Vietnamese joint-stock commercial banks in 2026 by Vietnam Report.

The bank continues to expand partnerships with strategic businesses across various sectors, seeking to develop a financial ecosystem linked to supply chains and value chains while meeting customers’ increasingly diverse needs.

In the tourism sector, SHB signed a cooperation agreement with the Tourism Information Centre under the Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism in January 2026 to promote a smart tourism ecosystem built on data, technology and digital finance.

The bank is also a founding member and financial partner of the Vietnam Medical Tourism Alliance, strengthening connections between finance, technology, tourism and healthcare.

SHB continues to improve service quality and provide digital financial and convenient payment solutions to meet customers’ increasingly diverse needs.

The partnership with Vietravel builds on this strategy, creating further opportunities for SHB to integrate digital financial solutions into tourism businesses, from corporate cash flow management to travellers’ payment and service experiences.

As part of its comprehensive transformation strategy, SHB places customers and the market at the centre of its operations, while modernising its information technology infrastructure and developing digital banking under its five FIRST pillars: Data & AI First, People First, Cloud First, Security First and Mobile First.

The agreement with Vietravel marks another step towards SHB’s ambition to become a “new-generation bank of national stature”. By bringing together financial capabilities, technology and ecosystem partnerships, the bank aims to create greater value for customers, businesses and the wider economy.

The cooperation is expected to support the expansion of digital payments, improve business efficiency and contribute to the modern and sustainable development of Việt Nam’s tourism sector. —VNS