Chào Show combines traditional Vietnamese music, cuisine from the country’s three regions and modern lighting technology to create an immersive cultural experience. — Photo dulichtphcm.vn/

HCM CITY Travellers are increasingly seeking immersive destinations that offer meaningful experiences centred on local cuisine and ethnic culture.

For the summer 2026 holiday season, visitors are showing a preference for destinations that combine opportunities for nature exploration with distinctive local experiences.

According to Vũ Ngọc Lâm, country director of Agoda Việt Nam, travellers are becoming more deliberate and discerning when selecting accommodation, favouring establishments with trusted reviews, convenient services and quality dining options.

This reflects a growing emphasis among Vietnamese tourists on the overall travel experience, alongside community-based verification of service quality.

To meet changing consumer preferences and stimulate tourism demand in Hồ Chí Minh City, an increasing number of travel and tourism businesses have launched innovative products that integrate cuisine and ethnic cultural experiences.

These offerings contribute to strengthening the city’s destination brand by drawing on diverse local characteristics.

From a business perspective, Trần Minh Hoàng, sales director of Chào Show (Dấu Ấn Show Co. Ltd.), said the show's production combines traditional music, cuisine from Việt Nam’s three regions and modern lighting technology.

The show features live performances on 30 traditional Vietnamese musical instruments, bringing to life Giang Sơn Cẩm Tú (A Beautiful and Magnificent Land) through 12 contemporary compositions inspired by the country’s regional cultural identities.

At its heart is a collection of 30 indigenous instruments, gathered, crafted and restored by artisans from across the nation.

The collection is considered one of the most comprehensive and distinctive of its kind in Việt Nam.

Alongside the musical performances, Chào Show serves signature dishes from the northern, central and southern regions, creating a portrait of Việt Nam through sound, imagery and flavour.

Hoàng noted that the production has attracted not only international visitors but also domestic audiences, demonstrating a promising model for preserving and promoting traditional culture.

From an urban theatre venue, the programme is gradually bringing Vietnamese traditional music to global audiences, reflecting innovative approaches to presenting cultural heritage that have resonated with visitors.

“Chào Show has invested in and operates an Immersive Audio system, currently regarded as one of Asia’s most advanced performance sound technologies. Regardless of where audience members are seated, they can enjoy a vivid 3D stereo sound experience,” Hoàng said.

“The technology transforms traditional folk music into an unprecedented auditory experience in Việt Nam, giving it a new sonic depth suited to the 21st century,” he added.

Nguyễn Thị Ngọc Trâm, 25, from Tây Ninh Province, said it was her first experience of a large-scale, modern tourism product combining music and cuisine in HCM City.

The integration of sound, lighting and food created a rich, multi-sensory and emotional journey. She plans to return with family and friends in the future.

Suối Tiên Farm Festival 2026 introduces several new features, including fruit buffets, a miniature floating market and evening light shows. — Photo kinhtedouong.vn/

New tourism experiences

In addition to introducing new attractions, tourism businesses in HCM City are refreshing existing products.

The Suối Tiên Cultural Tourism Area recently announced the 22nd Southern Fruit Festival – Suối Tiên Farm Festival 2026 under the theme “Echoes of the Alluvial River – Flow of Origins – Continuing Cultural Heritage”.

This year’s festival introduces several new features, including fruit buffets, a miniature floating market, evening light shows, Mekong Delta-style hammocks, orchard cuisine and interactive “talking fruit roads”.

A culinary highlight will be a series of beef dishes combined with 26 varieties of fruit, which organisers hope will set a Vietnamese record.

For the first time, the festival will also feature a “Western Region Hammock Station”, offering hammocks, sweet soups, traditional cakes, noodle soup and bánh xèo crêpes, creating the atmosphere of a countryside orchard retreat within HCM City itself.

Meanwhile, the 2026 Southern Flavours Culinary Festival, organised by PhuThoTourist in cooperation with Đầm Sen Cultural Park under the theme “A Hundred Flavours in Harmony”, presents the diverse culinary traditions of the Kinh, Hoa, Khmer and Chăm communities through hundreds of regional dishes.

Beyond food tasting, the festival offers visitors opportunities to experience the daily life, people and hospitality of southern Việt Nam.

Many visitors to HCM City noted that, alongside music and cuisine, tourism products increasingly provide immersive journeys showcasing dramatic landscapes, cultural diversity and welcoming local communities.

Without leaving the city or joining inter-regional tours, travellers can enjoy experiences that engage the senses and emotions alike.

From a management perspective, Nguyễn Cẩm Tú, director of the HCM City Tourism Promotion Centre, said that while building on achievements already secured, the city’s tourism sector in 2026 would pursue stronger innovation in product development, destination enhancement, promotional activities and tourism branding.

As part of this strategy, the centre is implementing the "Summer Impressions" programme during the second quarter of 2026, working with tourism enterprises to design new travel programmes and enrich existing tour content.

Particular emphasis will be placed on expanding the city’s night-time economy through pilot public-private partnership mechanisms in culture and sports, including activities such as night museum visits and artistic performances. — VNS