HCM CITY Hồ Chí Minh City is positioning itself as a tourism hub following its administrative merger with Bình Dương and Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu provinces, with authorities accelerating efforts to develop innovative products to attract visitors and create new growth momentum for the sector.

Tourists release turtles into the sea in Côn Đảo. Photo nhandan.vn

As part of these efforts, the city’s Department of Tourism recently partnered with Doi Dep (Pair of Sandals) JSC to organise a famtrip to experience the Đôi Dép ecosystem in Lâm Đồng Province. The trip formed part of a pilot plan to introduce “tea culture spaces” in luxury hotels across the city.

Participants toured the 1927 Tea Factory to explore the tea production process and joined networking sessions at a golf resort that brought together hoteliers, tour operators, healthcare providers and tea producers. Many expressed interest in the “journey of the tea leaf” – a cultural story that could inspire future tourism products.

Phạm Công Tuấn Hà, Assistant to the Chairman of Đôi Dép, said the trip aimed to help participants feel the essence of Vietnamese tea and encourage collaboration among hotels, travel firms and businesses in designing new tourism products for high-end visitors while promoting Vietnamese culture.

Beyond the tea experience, the Department of Tourism has organised several survey trips to identify new tourism offerings. Vũng Tàu, for example, is striving to become a world-class smart and green tourism hub within the next five years.

Experts suggested that alongside reorganising existing products, Vũng Tàu ward should pilot night-time economy models linked to specialised service zones to develop a coastal-themed tourism hub. Proposed attractions include the Tam Giác Beer Park, Đồ Chiểu food street, a shopping and entertainment area along Trưng Trắc–Trưng Nhị streets, and a beachfront café-bar rooftop check-in space.

According to Nguyễn Minh Mẫn, Deputy Director of Vinagroup, tour operators in HCM City could also leverage nearby industrial and craft tourism sites such as the Yakult Factory, Định Hòa lacquerware village, Minh Long ceramics, and the Bình Dương Technical School relic site to build short-day tours combining education and culture.

Nguyễn Thị Ánh Hoa, Chairwoman of Saigontourist Group, said several interconnected routes linking the three regions could be launched immediately, especially for short-stay visitors. These include itineraries connecting the city centre to beaches like Hồ Tràm and Long Hải, nature retreats such as Bình Châu and Côn Đảo, or one-day excursions to craft villages, orchards and riverside eco-sites in Bình Dương.

Following the administrative merger, the city also holds strong potential for MICE tourism. Combining business events with leisure trips to nearby coastal or ecological destinations could further strengthen this segment’s appeal.

In addition, themed products are being developed, such as industrial and craft village tours in Bình Dương, spiritual and wellness tourism in Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu, and medical tourism linking HCM City’s high-quality hospitals with coastal resorts. Shorter, experience-rich itineraries are expected to attract a wider customer base and enhance the appeal of premium short trips.

Tourism experts believe there are expanding opportunities in the domestic market for weekend, short-stay and seasonal tourism, alongside growing international visitor flows. The administrative merger has created a richer, more diverse tourism landscape.

Hoa noted that HCM City now has around 681 potential tourism resources, forming a distinctive “triangle of identity” in the southeast region: the city centre representing urban vibrancy and creativity; Bình Dương offering industrial, craft and MICE potential; and Bà Rịa-Vũng Tàu serving as a hub for leisure and wellness. The areas, she added, can complement one another effectively. VNA/VNS