Ho Chi Minh City was recognised in three categories at the World Travel Awards (WTA) Asia, Oceania and Indian Ocean Gala Ceremony held in the Maldives on September 27.
The city received the titles of Asia’s Leading Business Travel Destination 2026 and Asia’s Leading Festival and Event Destination 2026. The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism was also named Asia’s Leading City Tourist Board 2026.
Ho Chi Minh City has recently attracted large numbers of visitors for sightseeing as well as conference-linked tourism (Photo: Tran Xuan Hung).
The awards reflect the city’s strategy of attracting business travellers and expanding its MICE tourism sector, which includes meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions. These visitors often combine business trips with sightseeing, shopping and cultural experiences.
The latest honours build on Ho Chi Minh City’s previous success at the World Travel Awards. In 2025, the city won four titles: Asia’s Leading Business Travel Destination, Asia’s Leading Festival and Event Destination, Asia’s Leading City Tourist Board and Asia’s Leading City Break Destination.
The city has also earned recognition at the World MICE Awards, where it was named Asia’s Leading MICE Destination for six consecutive years from 2020 to 2025, and Asia’s Leading Incentive Destination in 2024.
Meanwhile, the International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City (ITE HCMC) was recognised as Asia’s Best MICE Trade Show in both 2024 and 2025.
International awards are helping bring Ho Chi Minh City's tourism image closer to travellers (Photo: Bao Quyen).
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, the city is continuing to enhance services for business and event travellers, including transportation, conference and exhibition venues, accommodation, dining, cultural attractions and entertainment facilities.
Tourism offerings are also being expanded beyond the city centre to include river-based, coastal and eco-tourism destinations.
By providing more activities and experiences beyond business programmes, the city aims to encourage visitors attending conferences and exhibitions to extend their stays, increasing tourism spending and supporting the local economy.
The department said it would continue developing tourism products, improving service quality and promoting the destination under the theme “A destination of connectivity and value creation”.
The newly announced awards are expected to strengthen Ho Chi Minh City’s profile among international travellers, travel companies and global event organisers.