Julia Rahman

Once again Ho Chi Minh City was honoured at the World Travel Awards reaffirming, its position, as one of Asia’s leading destinations with four prestigious titles Asia’s Leading Business Travel Destination 2025, Asia’s Leading Festival & Event Destination 2025, Asia’s Leading City Tourist Board 2025, and Asia’s Leading Coastal City Break Destination 2025.

The continuous recognition of Ho Chi Minh City at the “Oscars of the global travel industry” is a powerful testament to the city’s prestige, attractiveness, and sustainable growth potential.

This success reflects not only the city’s ongoing efforts to improve service quality and diversify tourism products, but also highlights its image as a dynamic, modern, and creative metropolis that remains deeply rooted in cultural identity – a unique strength that continues to captivate both domestic and international visitors.

Notably, Vung Tau previously part of Ba Ria, is a province and now under Ho Chi Minh City following recent administrative reorganisation was recognised for the first time as ‘Asia’s Leading Coastal City Break Destination 2025’.

This milestone further enhances, the image of Vietnam’s coastal and island tourism, while expanding the visibility of Ho Chi Minh City’s tourism brand across the region and the world.

Alongside Ho Chi Minh City’s outstanding achievements, Vietnam was also honored with two prestigious titles at the World Travel Awards 2025: Asia’s Leading Destination 2025 for the 7th time and Asia’s Leading Heritage Destination 2025 the 3rd time.

The four prestigious awards not only honour the city’s relentless efforts toward sustainable tourism development, but also mark an important milestone in promoting the ‘Vibrant Ho Chi Minh City’ brand an inviting, friendly, and dynamic destination, confidently moving forward with the global tourism industry’s robust growth.

Messe Berlin Asia Pacific has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Singapore Tourism Board to collaborate in the ITB Asia from 2026 to 2028. The strategic partnership aims to jointly develop new content pillars, co-market the event, enhance buyer engagement initiatives, and facilitate more government participation.

Together, Messe Berlin and STB are committed to strengthening ITB Asia’s position as one Asia’s leading travel trade shows and platform for the global tourism industry.

“This strategic partnership with Messe Berlin reinforces Singapore’s position as the World’s Best MICE City and aligns with our Tourism 2040 goals to cultivate stronger MICE visitor demand and create distinctive experiences,” said Mr. Poh Chi Chuan, Executive Director, Exhibitions and Conferences, Singapore Tourism Board.

ITB Asia organised by Messe Berlin Asia Pacific is supported by the Singapore Exhibition and Convention Bureau. The annual business-to-business trade show and convention features exhibiting companies from the Asia-Pacific region, Europe, the Americas, Africa and the Middle East, covering leisure market, MICE and corporate travel.

IN 2026, it will be held from October 21 to 23 at the Sands Expo & Convention Centre, Marina Bay Sands in Singapore.

The Ho Chi Minh City International Travel Expo will officially take place from September 4 to 6 at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center, Tan My Ward, Ho Chi Minh City, Viet Nam. It marks the 19th edition of the show,

This year’s ITE HCMC will focus not only on economic growth, but also on preserving cultural, social, and environmental values. reaffirming Vietnam’s vision for sustainable tourism development. At the same time, the expo encourages the creation of innovative tourism products and services that respond to the evolving expectations of international travellers, particularly those seeking green, sustainable, and experiential journeys.

Ho Chi Minh City is actively working to attract and welcome over 240 international hosted buyers, including travel companies, tour operators, MICE organisers, and travel agencies from more than 32 countries and territories to participate in ITE HCMC 2025.

According to the organising committee, over 250 exhibiting companies and brands and 240 hosted buyers have confirmed their attendance.

While Ho Chi Minh City’s prominence as a bub for investment and business is growing with its recent administrative expansion to include Ba Ria-Vung Tau province and Binh Duong province. Through this extension, the city is developing a strategic tourism triangle of city break, industrial hub and coastal ecotourism – laying the foundation to become a centre for tourism, investment, and innovation in the region.

Currently ITE HCMC is the only tourism expo in Vietnam with an international buyer program and in 2024, was recognised as ‘Asia’s Best Trade Show’ at the World MICE Awards, affirming the position and quality of the event in the international arena.

Tourism New Zealand confirmed 64 international conference wins in the past year, worth an estimated NZ$78.8 million to New Zealand’s visitor economy.

The Tourism New Zealand Business Events team closed out its 2025 financial year hitting record bid targets enabled by a NZ$3 million government funding boost announced in March 2025. It exceeded its stretch target of 110 bids worth NZ$170 million, making 112 bids worth NZ$173 million. The national tourism organisation had previously set a target of 90 bids with a value of NZ$140 million for the 2025 financial year.

In addition to the bid numbers lodged in FY25 there were also 100 resulted bids (win/loss announcements), with 64 wins and 36 losses. The 64 wins have an estimated direct economic impact of NZ$78.8 million.

“What that economic impact figure doesn’t capture is the other benefits hosting these events deliver to New Zealand, from research collaborations to investment opportunities, job creation, profile for New Zealand universities, and knowledge sharing to find solutions to global challenges.” Said Tourism New Zealand global manager business events, Ms. Penelope Ryan

Wins secured in the last year include the WONCA World Rural Health Conference in 2026; Asia-Pacific Intelligent Transport Systems Forum 2027; World Indigenous Cancer Conference 2026; and International Precision Dairy Farming Conference 2025.

“We continue to accelerate momentum thanks to the Government’s additional NZ$3 million in funding for the 2026 financial year,” Ms. Ryan stated. “We’re holding the 110-bid stretch target but aiming to increase the value to NZ$185 million in FY26. We have conference bids in process for 2026 and beyond, with wins confirmed as far ahead as 2030, highlighting the vital role business events activity plays in growing the New Zealand economy now and into the future.”

New Zealand has already secured nine conference wins in the first month of the new financial year. Conference pipelines continue to grow across New Zealand’s three new key city convention centres Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre, Tākina Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre, and the New Zealand International Convention Centre, opening in Auckland in February 2026.

Ms. Penelope Ryan, Global Manager Business Events of Tourism New Zealand.

The event will make its debut in the Middle East from November 18 to 19 in Bahrain with an anticipated attendance of over 500 visitors and participants from over 50 countries.  It will be held at the Kingdom’s most ultramodern facility the Exhibition World Bahrain.

Under the theme ‘Gastronomy Tourism: a driver of economic diversification and inclusion’, the Forum will convene, through panel discussions, presentations, masterclasses and thematic visits. International experts will explore the transformative potential of Gastronomy Tourism to become a driver of economic diversification and inclusion, fostering social and environmental sustainability enhancing regional cohesion and resilience of local communities.

Bahrain the host country will showcase its culinary heritage and vibrant culture, with the ultimate aim of making it a must-visit destination for gastronomes and tourism professionals alike.

While Exhibition World Bahrain’s offering is a culinary team dedicated to providing bespoke food and beverage services. Operating from a state-of-the-art kitchen facility spanning over 3,600 square meters, the team is well-prepared to meet diverse catering requests.

Attendees can look forward to an impressive range of cuisines, including Asian, Mediterranean, and European flavours from the venue.

Held for the first time in the Middle East, the Forum will bring together global leaders, policymakers, industry experts, and renowned chefs, to unveil how gastronomy tourism can also build a strong image for destinations, through innovative practices and initiatives around the world.

It will bring together more than 200 representatives from medium and large businesses, business associations and government structures from Russia, Malaysia, and ASEAN countries. Organised by Roscongress Foundation, the forum will be held in Kuala Lumpur from November 26 to 27.

The focus of the forum will be on the central theme of overcoming global challenges, by forging actionable partnerships and joint projects that drive socio-economic development of Russia and ASEAN countries. The event aims to consolidate the positions of key economic players in the region.

Participants of the forum, will discuss collaboration prospects between Russia and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

They will also explore cooperation opportunities in areas such as; economics and finance, the oil and gas and chemical industries, transportation, technology, innovation, information security, science and education, medicine, tourism, and the humanitarian sector.

Focal points will be on agricultural cooperation, with discussions on food security, fertilizer supplies, and agricultural technology exchanges.

The forum will serve as an essential platform, for discussions and extensive coverage on strengthening trade and investment ties between Russia and ASEAN.

The latest forecasts from the Pacific Asia Travel Association, predicts strong annual increases in inbound visitor numbers for the Asia Pacific, under mild, medium, and severe scenarios in 2023, set to continue each year until 2025.

Growth rates range from 71 percent under severe scenario conditions, to as much as 104 percent under the mild scenario.

The annual increase in the absolute number of international visitor arrivals in 2023 is predicted to range from 158.7 million to 437.5 million under the severe and mild scenarios respectively – lifting the total volume of visitor arrivals to between 382.9 million and 712.7 million under these scenarios.

Substantial annual increases in IVA numbers are also forecast for 2024 and 2025, under all three scenarios, although the volume of these gains will slowly reduce over the years, as the absolute volume base of foreign arrivals increases.

As IVA growth builds between 2023 and 2025, the source markets of Asia collectively generate the bulk of the additional annual increases in absolute numbers of arrivals across Asia Pacific each year. Under the mild scenario the annual increase in IVAs from Asia in 2023, are forecast to number 330.7 million and account for three-quarters of the net increase in total IVAs between 2022 and 2023.

Across the years and under all scenarios, the visitor footprint of the Asian source markets, at the aggregate Asia Pacific level, is predicted to remain very strong, although with significant differences at the destination regions and sub-regions.

“Now more than ever before, destinations need to work with host communities, operators, and visitors to deliver results and experiences that bring the best of the travel and tourism sector to the fore, across all involved parties and in a responsible, equitable, meaningful, and thereby sustainable manner. Such an approach will also create a certain resilience to future shocks as and when they appear, and rest assured that they will,” said PATA Chair, Mr. Peter Semone.

The PATA Asia Pacific Visitor Forecasts Full Report 2023-2025 is now available at www.PATA.org/research-q1v63g6n2dw/p/asia-pacific-visitor-forecasts-2023-2025-x8tpc

The conference will bring together travel industry professionals on April 26 to 28 running alongside with ITB India 2023 at Jio World Convention Centre in Mumbai, India.

Featuring three tracks, the conference will see more than 100 industry leaders in over 80 sessions exchange their insights into the future of the industry, powered by the motto ‘Connecting You to the Indian Travel Market’.

Knowledge Theatre is ITB India’s principal conference track, with C-level leaders and renowned industry experts sharing their perspectives on the future of the market. They will exchange their insights on a broad scope of topics, from the latest general trends to challenges and opportunities for sustainability in South Asia’s travel market.

MICE Show India will focus on corporate travel and tapping into innovative B2B solutions for meetings, events, and incentives. Speakers will give a comprehensive 2023 outlook of India’s MICE market, offer new angles on incentive travel, and discuss innovative strategies for travel program optimisation.

Travel Tech India will look at novelties in digital solutions that enhance travel experiences. Main highlights will include leveraging the power of analytics for a better understanding of consumer mindsets, meta-integration and the synergies it creates, as well as exploring contactless travel in the world still getting over the pandemic.

For more information on ITB India 2023, visit itb-india.com.

The inaugural conference was the New Zealand Infrastructure Commission, Te Waihanga Looking Ahead Symposium and this, kick starts for the centre, a full roster of more than 100 events scheduled remainder of the year.

According to Te Pae Christchurch general manager Mr.Ross Steele, of the events planned at the centre for the rest of this year, more than 60 are conferences, including eight international events – combined will bring over 67,000 people into the central city, and generate an estimated of NZD 37.2 million in direct economic value.

Mr. Steele further added that: looking beyond the end of 2022 the centre, has a solid pipeline of business. In total through to October 2024,146 events are scheduled, which will bring close to 150,000 people into the city; and generate more than NZD 74 million in direct economic value. This includes 88 conferences out of which 23 of are international.

Scheduled events in 2022 of the centre include:

• Harcourts National Convention, May
• New Zealand Dance Awards, May
• Christchurch Art Show 2022, June
• MEETINGS 2022, June
• Roofing Association of New Zealand Conference, June
• Bookeepcon 2022, July
• House of the Year Awards, July
• Maia Health Foundation FEAST 2022, September
• Archipro – Meet, Greet & Eat 2022, September
• Armageddon Expo, December