The Ho Chi Minh City International Travel Expo 2013 (ITE-HCMC 2013) will be held in the city on September 12-14, according to the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

As the most established travel event in Vietnam and the Mekong, the annual expo is designed to promote Vietnam ’s image at key foreign markets.

It also aims to lure more visitors to new tourist destinations of Vietnam as well as its neighbours of Myanmar, Laos, Cambodia and Thailand, advancing towards the establishment of “Five countries-One destination”.

The expo will offer an opportunity for local travel companies, especially small- and medium-sized ones, to sign business cooperation contracts with foreign partners.

ITE-HCMC 2013 will feature a wide range of activities, including a seminar for buyers and sellers of tourist products, a conference for mayors of twinning cities and a workshop on the Indian market as well as programmes for the public and consumers.

A tourist prize will be presented to the most outstanding travel companies from Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam.

Last year’s event attracted the participation of 500 local and foreign companies from 30 countries and territories.-VNA