Hanoi (VNA) – As Vietnam’s tourism industry undergoes a strong transformation, the Mekong Delta is facing a major opportunity to turn its rich tourism resources into competitive advantages. To achieve this, regional connectivity has been identified as a crucial factor, insiders said.
“Developing integrated tourism routes linking floating markets, cajuput forests, traditional craft villages and cultural heritage sites will help create diverse visitor experiences and gradually position the Mekong Delta as an internationally recognised tourism destination,” said Duong Hoang Sum, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Tra Vinh province.
He made the remarks at the conference on tourism promotion in the Mekong Delta 2026, held in Hanoi on April 10, as part of the Vietnam International Travel Mart -VITM Hanoi 2026.
According to the official, the event provided an important platform for localities in the Mekong Delta to showcase their tourism potential and strengths to the Hanoi market and northern provinces while strengthening cooperation and tourism linkages among regions.
The Mekong Delta boasts abundant tourism resources, supporting a wide range of products, including orchard and river-based ecotourism, nature conservation, research and wellness tourism, cultural and festival tourism, traditional craft villages, and high-end island and coastal tourism. The region also has strong potential for inter-regional tourism connectivity and international cooperation with countries in the Greater Mekong Subregion.
Experts said that developing distinctive tourism products based on ecological and cultural characteristics is key to organising tourism and maximising its strengths.
Based on natural conditions and local characteristics, the Mekong Delta can be divided into four tourism clusters. The central cluster, comprising Can Tho, An Giang, Kien Giang, and Hau Giang, focuses on river tourism, commercial tourism, festival tourism, and high-end coastal resorts.
The Ca Mau Peninsula cluster, including Ca Mau, Bac Lieu, and Soc Trang, highlights visits to the country’s southernmost point, mangrove ecotourism, and cultural experiences associated with the Khmer ethnic community.
The eastern coastal cluster, consisting of Tien Giang, Ben Tre, Vinh Long, and Tra Vinh, is known for orchard and river tourism, homestays, traditional craft villages, and revolutionary historical sites. Meanwhile, the Dong Thap Muoi cluster, covering Long An and Dong Thap provinces, specialises in inland wetland ecotourism.
The development of shared tourism products based on each locality’s unique characteristics has helped create a distinctive tourism identity for the entire region.
Within this broader picture, Vinh Long has emerged as a key destination, aiming to improve service quality and competitiveness while promoting its unique cultural values in line with green, smart, and sustainable tourism trends and the Politburo’s Resolution No. 80-NQ/TW on cultural development.
In particular, the combination of Ben Tre’s “green coconut landscape”, Khmer cultural heritage, and the region’s red brick-and-pottery legacy is expected to create distinctive tourism products that vividly showcase the land and people of the Mekong Delta.
Building sustainable tourism value chain
Addressing the conference, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Tourism Tran Trung Hieu said that as one of the country’s leading tourism hubs, Hanoi continues to strengthen its role as a gateway for international visitors and a premier cultural destination. The capital aims to welcome 12 million international arrivals in the 2026–2030 period, while expanding cultural, culinary, night-time, agricultural, and smart tourism products.
Hieu said Hanoi has strengthened tourism cooperation with Mekong Delta localities through promotion programmes, surveys, and partnership agreements. The development of two-way tourism routes connecting the Red River Delta and the Mekong Delta diversifies tourism products and extends visitor stays.
Participants at the conference also exchanged experience and explored opportunities to work together. The goal is to build a sustainable tourism value chain, improve service quality, and deliver greater benefits to local communities and visitors alike./.
