Ho Chi Minh City Leads 2025 Global Tourism Boom

Ho Chi Minh City joins powerhouse destinations such as Bangkok, Hong Kong and Istanbul in posting a remarkable surge in global tourism—presenting new growth opportunities for B2B travel agents and airline professionals.

Ho Chi Minh City Joins Bangkok, Hong Kong & Istanbul in Phenomenal Tourism Rise

A Global Tourism Upswing

In the rebound of post-pandemic travel, major cities across the world are reporting record inbound visitor numbers. Destinations like Bangkok, Hong Kong and Istanbul continue to hold leading positions in global tourism rankings, and now Ho Chi Minh City is emerging alongside them as a must-watch growth market.

Ho Chi Minh City’s Breakout Year

Ho Chi Minh City is making waves in 2025. According to municipal and industry data:

• The city welcomed approximately 3.85 million international visitors in the first half of 2025—a surge of around 44 % year-on-year.

• At the national level, Vietnam logged more than 10.7 million international visitors in H1 2025, up roughly 21 % year-on-year.

• Ho Chi Minh City’s tourism stakeholders are targeting as many as 8.5 million international arrivals for the full year of 2025.
  
  

For B2B travel professionals—agents, consolidators, airline account managers and MICE planners—this signals a rapidly ascending destination to add to your portfolio.

The Big Four Tourism Cities in 2025

Bangkok – Southeast Asia’s Traffic Leader

Bangkok remains a juggernaut: over 32 million visitors and strong growth year-on-year.

Hong Kong – Reasserting Its Global City Status

Hong Kong is expected to draw in excess of 20 million international visitors in 2025.

Istanbul – Gateway Between East and West

Istanbul is projected to receive around 23 million inbound tourists in 2025, capitalising on its dual continent appeal.

Ho Chi Minh City – Asia’s Rising Star

With surging arrivals, strong government support for tourism, expanding infrastructure and renewed outbound interest from India and other markets, Ho Chi Minh City is rapidly joining the tier of global city destinations.

Why These Cities Are Dominating

• Rich cultural heritage + modern amenities – Each destination blends tradition with contemporary infrastructure, meeting diverse traveller expectations.

• Improved connectivity – More direct flights, expanded visa access and renewed business/leisure travel flows.

• Strong marketing & recovery momentum – Post-pandemic, global travel demand is realigning and these cities are capitalising early.

• MICE & high-value segments – For travel agents handling groups, corporate events or incentive travel, these cities offer supply and demand in one package.
  
  

What This Means for Your B2B Travel Business

• Expand your destination mix – Add Ho Chi Minh City to your ‘must-sell’ list for 2025-26 outbound travellers.

• Promote integrated offerings – Leverage packages that combine air + hotel + MICE or leisure elements to these destinations.

• Target high-growth source markets – Indian outbound volumes, ASEAN intra-travel and return-travel from China/Korea all support growth into these cities.

• Align with airline and hotel partners – Early engagement with carriers launching new routes (e.g., from India to Ho Chi Minh City) gives you competitive edge.

• Educate clients on experience upgrade – These cities aren’t just budget getaways—they deliver premium business-leisure value for groups, incentives and high-yield travellers.
  
  

Action Checklist for Agents & Airlines

• Review your carrier route map: identify new or increasing capacity into these top cities.

• Analyse your client database: which clients can be converted to 2025 outbound travel to these destinations?

• Develop destination-specific micro-campaigns (Ho Chi Minh, Bangkok, Istanbul, Hong Kong) showcasing unique selling points.

• Negotiate preferred contracts with hotels/ground operators in these cities to capture early mover advantage.

• Monitor visa, regulatory or flight-schedule changes that may impact ease of travel for your clients.
  
  

Conclusion & Takeaway

The global tourism landscape in 2025 is accelerating rapidly—and the spotlight is not just on the traditional power-houses like Bangkok, Hong Kong and Istanbul, but also on dynamic emerging nodes like Ho Chi Minh City. For B2B travel professionals—agents, consolidators and airline partners—this is a moment to act. By aligning your offerings, marketing and partnerships now, you can position your business to capture the next wave of outbound demand into these top-tier city destinations.

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