The HCM City Tourism Promotion Centre and the HCM City Arts Centre sign a memorandum of understanding for strengthening promotion of the city through cultural tourism and creative and cultural industries over the next five years at the HCM City Opera House on Wednesday. —VNS Photo Thu Hằng

HCM CITY — The HCM City Tourism Promotion Centre and the HCM City Arts Centre have signed a memorandum of understanding for strengthening promotion of the city through cultural tourism and creative and cultural industries in 2026–30.

The cooperation marked a milestone in integrating the city’s rich cultural landscape with tourism, leveraging performing arts and creative and cultural industries to drive economic growth and enhance its brand as a destination.

The two sides will build an ecosystem of cultural tourism products linked to performing arts, cultural heritage, creative spaces, and key cultural events, and gradually incorporate art shows into offerings for domestic and international tourists.

They will also focus on promoting art, night, and festival tourism and art programmes produced by the HCM City Arts Centre to serve MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) tourists.

Promotional activities through media platforms, tourism fairs, exhibitions, forums, and domestic and international road shows will be enhanced.

Famtrips and presstrips will be organised for travel agencies, media outlets, key opinion leaders, and international partners to experience local cultural tourism products.

Speaking at the signing ceremony, Nguyễn Thị Thanh Thúy, deputy director of the city Department of Culture and Sports, said there is room for developing the cultural sphere and city is focused on advancing cultural tourism.

With professional and international events such as the Hò Dô International Music Festival, the HCM City International Film Festival, the River Festival, and the Áo Dài Festival, the city is striving to regularly offer artistic products to attract tourists.

These are diverse in form and reflect its cultural identity and unique characteristics.

Recently, the circus and puppetry art Mơ Show (Dreamscape Show) attracted attention with its sold-out performances.

Nguyễn Cẩm Tú, director of the HCM City Tourism Promotion Centre, said aligning tourism with arts and culture would drive the night economy, elevate destination appeal, and develop cultural tourism products.

The partnership lays the foundation for developing distinct, culturally deep products capable of competing on the global stage, she added. —VNS