The expo will feature key activities including on-site and online exhibition booths; a digital business-to-business (B2B) buyer–seller matching programme; Vietnam Night; the opening ceremony; programmes for international buyers and media representatives; forums and thematic seminars introducing key source markets and emerging tourism trends; and a tourism consumer festival.
With the solidarity of the entire political system and the consensus of the people, Ho Chi Minh City is determined to make strong breakthroughs, maintain its role as the nation’s economic locomotive, and lay a solid foundation for development in the 2026–2030 period.
According to the municipal Department of Agriculture and Environment, 100% of fishing vessels in the city have been registered and fully updated on the National Fisheries Database System (Vnfishbase).
Nearly 19 million passenger trips were recorded on Metro Line No 1 linking Ben Thanh and Suoi Tien in its first year of operation, a figure that has brought joy and a significant boost to public transport in Vietnam’s most populous city.
Notably, more than 2,300 runners participated in the full marathon (42km), demonstrating the growing development and wide-reaching appeal of the marathon movement.
The city’s agricultural sector is undergoing a strong transformation, restructuring toward higher value-added and sustainable development. In recent years, the sector has maintained steady growth, with agricultural, forestry and fisheries output rising by an estimated 2.5% annually.
The city aims to lift average investment intensity to 8–10 million USD per hectare, with a focus on high-tech, high-value-added and environmentally friendly industries.
Since 2008, the initiative has attracted strong support from businesses, organisations and individuals, assisting more than 77,400 poor and near-poor farming households and other vulnerable groups, with total funding exceeding 131 billion VND.
As the Government is adjusting the national master plan for 2021–2030 with a vision to 2050, which sets a target of sustained double-digit economic growth (over 10%) during 2026–2030, cargo volumes passing through the city’s seaports are expected to rise even further.
Tourism development is being steered towards a multi-product, multi-space model that closely links the city centre with riverside, coastal and ecological forest areas, within the broader vision of a post-merger mega-city.
HCM City aims to promote UAV use in urban delivery - a promising field contributing to smart logistics and postal services for e-commerce, smart cities and high-tech public services, while fostering UAVs as a strategic technology sector underpinning the innovation ecosystem.
Local authorities said the 2025 revenue performance provides a critical springboard for the city to enter its next development phase with higher expectations, as it seeks to meet ambitious fiscal targets in 2026 and beyond.
The Youth Union of Ho Chi Minh City launched the 18th annual Spring Volunteer Campaign 2026 on January 3, targeting hospitals, elder-care facilities, schools for special needs, social welfare centres, student dormitories, worker housing, train stations, bus depots, and other hubs throughout the bustling southern hub.
Beyond remaining a familiar destination for readers, Nguyen Van Binh Book Street in Ho Chi Minh City’s Sai Gon ward now contributes to the city’s nighttime cultural life, meeting the public’s demand for weekend recreation, cultural enjoyment and relaxation.
More than 5.3 billion USD in new and additional investment was channelled into Ho Chi Minh City’s export processing and industrial zones in 2025, up 0.37% year-on-year and exceeding the annual target by 17.5%.
In Ho Chi Minh City, the Department of Tourism hosted arrivals of the first international visitors at Tan Son Nhat International Airport, including those on Vietnam Airlines' VN30 from Germany and Qatar Airways' QR974 from Qatar.
Shoppers are adjusting their habits in response to ongoing economic uncertainty, opting for a more thoughtful and practical approach to spending compared to previous years.
In recent years, Ho Chi Minh City has emerged as a priority stop for major shows, concerts and festivals, drawing strong public interest.
The city’s tourism sector has maintained positive momentum in 2025, recording about 8.56 million international visitors, 45.6 million domestic tourists, and revenue of 278 trillion VND.
The 2025 Autumn Economic Forum, themed “Green transition in the digital era”, had been a success in terms of scale, content and external engagement. It had served as a practical platform for policy dialogue, bringing together policymakers, international organisations, experts and businesses to discuss major global trends, identify emerging challenges and propose policy directions and solutions in the context of green and digital transformation.
The People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City held a ceremony on December 31 to make debut its Public Administrative Service Centre, marking a significant step forward in advancing administrative reform and building a modern, efficient and people-oriented public administration.
Once operational, the dedicated bicycle lane is poised to function not only as transportation infrastructure but also to enhance environmental quality and foster a more civilised urban mobility landscape in Ho Chi Minh City
Labour demand next year is forecast to exceed 313,000 positions, including around 136,340 in the former HCM City area, 105,080 in former Binh Duong, and 72,261 in former Ba Ria–Vung Tau.
According to the plan, construction of Metro Line No.2 (Ben Thanh–Tham Luong) is scheduled to begin on January 15, 2026. Immediately after finalising the groundbreaking timeline, the municipal People’s Committee instructed relevant agencies to roll out TOD projects along the route.
At the centre, citizens take a queue number and are guided to the appropriate service counter to complete the required steps. Their documents are then digitised and transferred electronically to the competent authorities for rapid processing, with outcomes returned on schedule in line with regulations.