With international inbound traveller numbers increasing almost 30% in the first five months of 2017, the theme for ITE HCMC 2017 – ‘Your Gateway to Tourism in Asia’ celebrates ASEAN’s 50th Anniversary and embrace ASEAN as a single and united tourism destination.
TSNN HANOI – Vietnam’s most important and establishedtravel event, the International Travel Expo, Ho Chi Minh City (ITE HCMC),is excited to return for the 13th year from September 7 to 9 at the SaigonExhibition & Convention Centre (SECC).The annual ITE HCMC is the key international tourism event in Vietnam,and the largest event of its kind in the Mekong sub region for both inboundand outbound markets. Recognized as Vietnam’s one and only NationalTourism Event by the Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism, it is also the onlytravel event endorsed by the Tourism Alliance of all five countries in theMekong Region.
The first two days of the event are catered to trade professionals, and thethird day to trade visitors as well as the public; special promotions, travelpackages, stage activities and performances will especially enthrall thelatter with wanderlust.The Global Tourism Industry Under One RoofFollowing the success of last year’s edition, and the positive positioning ofVietnam as the latest tourism hotspot, the Organisers of ITE HCMC 2017are expecting an overall increase of 20% in participation from last year.
This year’s event will host a multitude of national pavilions, and currentconfirmed participation include those of Cambodia, Indonesia, Japan,Korea, Taiwan, and Thailand, with many more to be announced soon.The confirmed exhibitors currently include airlines, hotels and resorts, tourcompanies, and travel representatives from countries like Australia,Cambodia, Germany, India, Indonesia, Japan, Korea, Malaysia,Maldives, Myanmar, Taiwan, Thailand, Turkey, UAE and Vietnam.Companies like Ben Thanh Tourist, Berlin Tourismus and Kongress GMBH,Fidi Tour, FLC Group, India Tourism, Japan National Tourism Organisation(JNTO), Kyushu Tourism Promotion Organization (KTPO), Lien Hoa Group,Medical Excellence Japan, Ministry of Tourism Cambodia, Ministry ofTourism of Republic Indonesia, Minor Hotel, Muong Thanh Hospitality,Penang Tourism, Plumeria Maldives, Prince Hotels, Saigon Tourist, TaiwanTourism, Thailand Authority Tourism, Tokyo Convention and Visitors Bureau,Tour Diamond Travels & Tours, Tourism Promotion Organization for AsiaPacific Cities (TPO), Traveltek, TTC Hospitality, Turkish Embassy Tourism andInformation Office, Union of Myanmar Travel Association, Vietravel,Wendy Tour and more, will also be present at the event.Seminars, Industry Networking, & Business ExchangeITE HCMC is more than just an exhibition; apart from an array ofnetworking events, it will also host a series of high-powered seminars ontopics relating to emerging travel and tourism, like tourism sustainability,travel technology, social media for tourism and hospitality, investmenttourism development, and more.
Special business matching services, online pre-appointments, and buyer sellermeetings will provide exhibitors greater exposure and buyers more opportunities to discover that special tourism boost they are searching for.More than 3,600 meetings were conducted between buyer and sellerslast year, and the Organisers expect the number to grow 15% this year.
Hosted Buyers & Media Programme
Organisers of the ITE HCMC will also invite and host at the event 300international and regional travel buyers from 50 major markets likeAustralia, Cambodia, Canada, China, France, Germany, Hong Kong,India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Korea, Myanmar, New Zealand, Philippines,Russia, Singapore, Spain, Thailand, Turkey, UAE, UK, US and many others.
The Hosted Buyer Programme allows buyers, from leisure, corporate,MICE, luxury, and special interest travel companies to enjoy pre-show andpost-show tours to explore Vietnam; make pre-appointment bookingswith sellers online; engage in buyer-seller meetings and attend variousnetworking functions. All hosted buyers are carefully selected andapproved by an advisory board with the ITE HCMC OrganisingCommittee.
Additionally, the Organisers will also invite and host 50 international mediapartners from prominent travel, lifestyle, tourism, and broadcast platforms,as well as award-winning travel bloggers and social media professionals.Some of the activities the media would be invited to include dinners,networking events, and pre-show and post-show tours showcasing the beauty of Vietnam.
Fascinating Attractions Tour Programme For Hosted Buyers and Media As part of their hosted programme, Hosted Buyers and Media will be treated to exclusive and unforgettable visits to some of Vietnam’s stunning provinces and sights. The itinerary includes:
- Can Gio mangrove forest
- Can Tho, the biggest city in Mekong delta region
- Da Lat city
- Phu Yen seaside town
- Phan Thiet seaside town
Travel Fun Fair Day for Public Visitors
Members of the public bitten by the travel bug can look forward to thelast day of the event (on September 9) for a wonderful day filled withamazing travel promotions and packages on domestic and internationaldestinations, performances, games and lucky draws.
Explore More of Vietnam & The World
The tourism sector will continue to be an important part of the Vietnam’seconomic plan, with the country actively joining tourism promotion andco-operation activities abroad. ITE HCMC presents the best opportunitiesfor buyers and exhibitors to jump on this rising tourism wave and bring theirbusinesses to higher levels.Mr Bui Ta Hoang Vu, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department ofTourism, says: “Last year’s event was a spectacular one with more than26,000 trade and public visitors, and 3,633 meetings arranged betweenbuyers and sellers. There was a diverse variety of travel destinations andoptions available to both trade professionals and the public.“We are certain this year will be no different, if not more rewarding.
Vietnam is an emerging tourist haven with new destinations andattractions promoted each year, and Hosted Media and Hosted Buyerscan expect to explore more of Vietnam through the pre-show and post showtours. We look forward to introducing our traditional Vietnamesewarmth and hospitality to our international friends and guests.”
Bringing the World To Vietnam
Mr Jack Wei, General Manager of Informa Exhibitions and Co-Organizer of ITE HCMC, adds: “ITE HCMC’s stellar performance record throughout the decade is further strengthened by the success of the 2016 edition,and this has resulted in more exhibitors and buyers participating in this year’s event. My team and I are very excited to meet our new and old exhibitors, buyers and media friends, and we will extend all assistance and support to them.“In addition, Vietnam’s booming tourism industry is reaching even greater heights. According to an announcement by the United Nations World Tourism Organization that’s reported in a recent VietnamTourism.com article, Vietnam was ranked seventh in the list of the world’s top 20 fastest growing travel destinations. The country saw a 24.6% surge in the number of foreign visitors in 2016 compared to the previous year.“This is an extremely encouraging trend that we believe will be sustained,and ITE HCMC will be the bridge to bring world to Vietnam, and vice versa.”
Government Support
ITE HCMC is organised by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism(VNAT); HCMC Department of Tourism; Vietnam Trade Fair & Advertising Joint Stock (VINEXAD); and Informa Exhibitions Pte Ltd.It is also proudly supported by the Ministry of Tourism, Cambodia; Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Lao PDR; Ministry of Hotels & Tourism,Myanmar; as well as Ministry of Tourism and Sports, Kingdom of Thailand;and endorsed by the Ministry of Culture, Sports & Tourism, Vietnam; and the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City.
Event Details & Pre-registration
Date: September 7 & 8 (Trade Visitors)
September 9 (Trade and Public Visitors)
Time: 9am – 5pm
Venue: Saigon Exhibition & Convention Centre (SECC).
Pre-registration is now open, and trade & public visitors are stronglyencouraged to pre-register at www.itehcmc.com before the event toskip the long queues at the door.
