Advancing International Cultural Exchange Through Events in Can Tho
	Hanoi and Incheon to Promote Tourism Products

In the first half of 2026, Can Tho welcomed more than 7.5 million visitors, achieving over 61 percent of its annual target and recording a 19 percent increase compared to the same period last year.

International tourism has shown particularly impressive growth, with an estimated 380,000 foreign arrivals. The total number of overnight stays at accommodation establishments across the city is estimated at more than 2.8 million, up 3 percent year-on-year.

Hung Kings Temple in Can Tho attracts large numbers of visitors during the summer.

The number of international visitors choosing longer stays has risen significantly, contributing to total tourism revenue of VND 6.6 trillion, equivalent to 58 percent of the annual target and representing a 21 percent increase over the same period last year. Higher revenue generated from overnight visitors indicates that tourists' average spending has improved substantially, creating greater added value for the local tourism supply chain.

Following the administrative boundary merger, Can Tho now enjoys broader opportunities for inter-regional tourism development. This expansion not only diversifies the city's tourism products but also significantly enhances its attractiveness and competitiveness compared with neighboring provinces and cities.

In particular, Can Tho possesses a unique geographical advantage thanks to its extensive inland waterway network. Its dense system of rivers and canals forms ideal routes for developing ecotourism centered on waterways, featuring a chain of distinctive river islets and alluvial islands stretching toward the sea.

This creates opportunities for the city to develop unique tourism products ranging from resort vacations and agricultural experiences to local cultural exploration.

The My Phuoc River and Orchard Festival attracts visitors seeking authentic local experiences.

To transform these advantages into tangible growth, the Can Tho Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Center organized Can Tho Culture and Tourism Week 2026 in mid-June at the iconic Ninh Kieu Wharf.

The event was designed as a destination network connecting closely with the Nhon My River and Orchard Festival at My Phuoc Islet and the Tan Loc Fruit Garden Festival on Tan Loc Islet.

This coordinated approach created a strong promotional effect, helping introduce each locality's distinctive attractions to a wider audience while providing tourism businesses with opportunities to stimulate summer travel demand.

Can Tho currently has nearly 120 tourist sites and destinations operating steadily. Most focus on showcasing the distinctive characteristics of the Mekong Delta through ecotourism, orchard tourism, community-based tourism, and cultural experiences closely connected with local river life.

Despite these achievements, Can Tho's tourism industry continues to face several long-standing challenges. The quality of tourism products remains uneven across different areas, while their uniqueness and international competitiveness are still relatively limited. In particular, the shortage of highly qualified tourism professionals has become a major obstacle to sustainable development.

The Nghinh Ong Festival in Vinh Chau Ward attracts numerous visitors.

To overcome these challenges and develop tourism in a modern and smart direction, Associate Professor Huynh Van Da of Can Tho University believes the city should prioritize improving service quality while accelerating the development of a comprehensive smart tourism ecosystem.

This ecosystem should be built upon an integrated digital database that enables seamless, real-time connectivity among three key stakeholders: government agencies, businesses, and tourists.

The city's tourism sector should also strengthen regional cooperation, promote public-private partnerships, enhance Can Tho's role as a regional tourism coordination hub, develop inter-provincial travel routes, and expand digital platforms for tourism promotion and destination branding.

From the perspective of the tourism industry, Luong Thi Quynh, Deputy Director of Vietravel's Can Tho Branch, proposed that the city establish a practical regional cooperation mechanism to create breakthrough inter-provincial tourism routes centered on specialized themes. She also suggested positioning Can Tho as the regional hub for coordinating and connecting ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) tourism experiences across the Mekong Delta.

In the era of smart tourism, the adoption of advanced digital platforms to digitize and integrate all local tourism resources is essential, transforming tourism data into genuine economic assets.

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