ITE HCMC 2016: Many Expectations

According to the organisers, ITE HCMC 2016 is expanded in both quality and scale. The event is expected to have 270 exhibition booths, of which 60 per cent will be by foreign exhibitors, draw 250 international buyers, 20 international media agencies, 400 domestic and foreign sellers, and 30,000 visitors. This is thus consolidating its position as the most prestigious and fastest growing international tourism forum in the region.

 

Nguyen Bao Anh, Deputy Director of the HCM City Tourism Promotion Centre, said that ITE HCMC 2016 will present awards to outstanding travel firms from five countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion (GMS). Awards include the tourism website of the year, the televised tourism programme of the year, and the cultural and tourism festival of the year.

 

Notably, the organising committee has also invited famous bloggers, three online television companies and top-notch international tourism journalists from Denmark, Finland, France, Norway, the UK, Thailand Finland and Australia to experience and share Vietnamese tourism photos on media and social networks.

 

Main activities of ITE HCMC 2016 include ACMECS Responsible Tourism Forum, HCM City MICE Tourism Introductory Seminar, an introductory workshop on tourism markets in the United States and Canada, an introductory workshop on tourism markets in Australia and New Zealand, Vietnam - Russia tourism cooperation seminar, dental tourism introductory seminar, a workshop on online media instruments like social networking, newsletter and blog; Mekong Tourism Alliance Awards (MTAA), and Vietnam Elite - Timeless Charm.

 

ITE HCMC 2016 will also promote regional economic and social development cooperation. Major events include the ACMECS Responsible Tourism Forum held by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam in cooperation with the HCM City People’s Committee on September 7, 2016. Ayeyawady-Chao Phraya-Mekong Economic Cooperation Strategy (ACMECS) is a political, economic, and cultural organisation among Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam.

 

To uphold the success of annual MTAA Awards, this year’s awards will be expanded to eight categories: The airline of the year, the outbound tour operator of the year, the inbound tour operator of the year, the five-star hotel of the year, the resort of the year, the tourism website of the year, the televised tourism programme of the year, and the festival of the year.

 

Ms Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, Deputy Director of the HCM City Tourism Department and Deputy Manager of the ITE HCMC 2016 Organising Committee, said, “We expect to see a growth of 15 per cent in buyers and sellers at ITE HCMC 2016. Thereby, buyers, commercial guests and visitors will have more opportunities to achieve their objectives in finding attractive destinations, exciting tourism activities and attractive tourism packages. Hundreds of experts will be present in Ho Chi Minh City and we and all citizens of this vibrant city will warmly welcome them."