Thailand Targets Younger Vietnamese Travellers at ITE HCMC 2026 as Air Links Rise 7% in 2026

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Thai officials want to increase the value of Vietnamese tourists at the International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City in 2026. Nearly 20 years after the first International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City, Thailand continues to foster trade partnerships and enhance demand for Thai products and services. The three-day event, held on August 27-29, attracted hundreds of visitors to the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center.The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) used this opportunity to promote Thailand’s “New Thailand: Modern Thai Market” and showcase the country’s culture, wellness, sport, events, culinary tourism, and emerging travel destinations. The two countries are also expected to increase the number of direct flights to 14,437 flights in 2026, an approximate 7 percent increase from the number of flights in 2025.

The push arrives as Vietnamese demand shows renewed momentum. Air bookings for Thailand rose 14.1% between June and August. Forward bookings for the remainder of 2026 are forecast to increase between 9% and 23%. TAT therefore sees an opportunity to shift beyond conventional short-haul holidays. It wants Vietnamese visitors to spend more, travel more widely and return more frequently.

TAT Governor Thapanee Kiatphaibool said Vietnam offers strong potential because of its young population, geographical proximity and expanding air access. She said Thailand is presenting a more diverse destination through culture, wellness, sport, major events and emerging destinations.

ITE HCMC Becomes Thailand’s Regional Sales Engine

ITE HCMC has become an increasingly important commercial platform for Thailand. The 2026 edition marked the event’s 20th anniversary. It also reinforced Ho Chi Minh City’s position as a gateway to the wider Lower Mekong travel market.

The Vietnamese government reported that the exhibition attracted more than 520 exhibitors and brands. The event also featured international buyers, tourism businesses and thousands of business-to-business appointments.

TAT described its participation as a combination of business matching, consumer engagement and destination promotion. Its 54-square-metre pavilion adopted the “New Thailand: Modern Thai Market” concept. The design drew inspiration from Bangkok’s Song Wat neighbourhood.

That choice is significant. Song Wat represents the type of destination storytelling Thailand increasingly wants to export. It combines heritage, independent businesses, food, creative culture and contemporary urban life.

The approach also signals a departure from destination marketing built around beaches alone. Thailand can now sell a wider portfolio. That portfolio includes wellness retreats, golf, sporting events, gastronomy, festivals, nightlife, cultural districts and nature-based escapes.

Thailand’s Vietnamese Market at a Glance

Younger Travellers Are Changing Thailand’s Offer

The most important shift concerns the traveller Thailand wants to attract.

TAT is specifically targeting Gen Z, millennials and families. It is also pursuing incentive, luxury and sports tourism. That mix reflects a broader transformation in Asian outbound travel.

Younger Vietnamese travellers increasingly seek experiences that can become part of a wider lifestyle narrative. Food, music, wellness, shopping, festivals and local neighbourhoods can therefore matter as much as traditional sightseeing.

Thailand has considerable advantages here. Bangkok offers urban culture and nightlife. Chiang Mai provides wellness, nature and creative experiences. Phuket remains a major beach and leisure destination. Krabi adds scenery and outdoor activities.

At the same time, TAT is promoting destinations beyond the established circuit.

Kanchanaburi, Rayong, Ayutthaya, Khao Yai and Phang-nga are gaining attention. These locations can help disperse visitor spending while giving repeat travellers new reasons to return.

This strategy also fits Thailand’s broader Value over Volume direction. TAT has increasingly emphasised quality tourism, wellness, meaningful experiences and stronger economic value rather than simply maximising arrival numbers.

New Flight Links Could Reshape Vietnamese Holidays

Air access may ultimately prove more influential than marketing.

TAT expects seven carriers to operate 14,437 direct flights between Thailand and Vietnam during 2026. That represents a 7% year-on-year increase. The expansion gives travellers more choice while enabling operators to create shorter, more specialised packages.

The biggest recent development came through the TAT–Vietnam Airlines partnership signed in May. The memorandum prioritised route development, additional frequencies and joint tourism promotion.

The first tangible result followed in July. Vietnam Airlines launched four weekly Ho Chi Minh City–Phuket services. The route directly connects southern Vietnam with one of Thailand’s leading resort destinations.

Potential additional services could broaden the network further.

The commercial implication is substantial. Better connectivity reduces the friction surrounding short breaks. It also makes multi-city holidays more practical.

For airlines and tour operators, additional routes can support dynamic packaging. Travellers could fly into one Thai city and return from another. That model can encourage longer stays and broader regional spending.

Thailand Wants More Than Beach Holidays

Thailand’s proposition at ITE HCMC 2026 is deliberately broader than its traditional image.

The pavilion highlighted culture, wellness, sport, major events and emerging destinations. Food also remained central to the experience. Thai dishes and interactive cultural activities helped translate destination branding into tangible experiences.

Events provide another powerful reason to travel.

Thailand is promoting festivals and major occasions including Loi Krathong, Vijit Chao Phraya, Tomorrowland Thailand, Wonderfruit and the Amazing Thailand Marathon. These events can attract younger travellers who plan holidays around experiences rather than destinations alone.

This strategy could prove particularly effective in Vietnam. Independent travellers already represent around 71% of Vietnamese arrivals to Thailand. They therefore have greater freedom to build itineraries around events, restaurants, shopping districts and niche experiences.

For travellers, the message is straightforward. Thailand increasingly offers reasons to visit outside the traditional high-season beach itinerary.

What Vietnamese Travellers Can Expect

For Vietnamese visitors, the changing strategy should produce more differentiated travel products.

Families can expect stronger emphasis on flexible itineraries and group experiences. Younger travellers can expect more event-led packages and lifestyle-focused promotions. Affluent travellers may see greater visibility for golf, luxury resorts, wellness and premium experiences.

TAT is also supporting group travel. Its current strategy includes privileges for groups of 30 or more travellers. That could benefit incentive houses, corporate organisers and specialist tour operators.

Meanwhile, the “Thái Lan, càng hiểu càng yêu” campaign extends the strategy into 2027. Its English interpretation is “Thailand: The More You Know, The More You Love”. The campaign coincides with the 50th anniversary of Thailand–Vietnam diplomatic relations in 2026.

That anniversary gives tourism marketers a powerful narrative. It links travel promotion with a wider bilateral relationship. It also creates opportunities for cultural programming, trade partnerships and cross-border business activity.

Where Vietnamese Visitors Are Travelling

Bangkok, Chon Buri, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Krabi remain the strongest destinations among Vietnamese visitors. However, TAT sees rising interest in secondary destinations.

That change matters because destination diversification can improve both traveller experience and industry resilience.

The opportunity is particularly strong for repeat visitors. Travellers who have already experienced Bangkok or Phuket may now be persuaded to add Chiang Mai, Khao Yai or Ayutthaya.

That creates a second layer of demand without requiring Thailand to reinvent its core attractions.

Safety And Convenience Remain Commercial Priorities

Thailand is also placing greater emphasis on traveller confidence.

The Trusted Thailand initiative addresses standards involving security, payment options, foreign-language communication and public transport access. Government support also includes Tourist Police services, assistance centres and the Tourist and Sports Volunteer network.

For Vietnamese travellers, these measures can reduce uncertainty during independent trips.

That matters because independent travel dominates the market. Around 71% of Vietnamese arrivals travel independently, according to TAT. The traveller therefore assumes more responsibility for transport, payments, accommodation and itinerary planning.

TAT also provides the Tourist Police hotline 1155. Travellers should retain emergency contacts and verify current entry requirements before departure.

Official travel and destination information remains the safest reference point when regulations change.

Thailand’s Wider Tourism Strategy Adds Context

Thailand’s Vietnam strategy does not operate in isolation.

TAT has been strengthening wellness tourism, sustainable destinations, regional cooperation and data-led marketing. Its work with travel technology companies also reflects a greater reliance on traveller intelligence and targeted demand generation.

The broader policy direction is increasingly visible across Thailand’s tourism portfolio.

Wellness has moved towards the centre of premium tourism. Chiang Mai is being developed as a sustainability model. Regional partnerships are connecting destinations across the Greater Mekong Subregion.

Vietnam fits naturally into that strategy.

It is geographically close, increasingly well connected and supported by strong outbound travel demand. Vietnam itself recorded nearly 21.2 million international visitors in 2025, demonstrating the scale and dynamism of its wider travel economy.

Thailand therefore has a compelling reason to compete for Vietnamese spending. The contest is no longer simply about attracting more visitors. It is about capturing more value from each journey.

What The Numbers Mean for Travellers

The current data points towards a market entering a more competitive phase.

Demand is strengthening. Flight capacity is expanding. Tourism products are diversifying. At the same time, Thailand is targeting travellers with greater purchasing power and more sophisticated expectations.

For Vietnamese visitors, that should mean more direct flights, broader destination choices and increasingly specialised travel packages.

For Thai tourism businesses, the opportunity is more strategic. Operators can build products around wellness, sport, luxury, events, food and local culture. They can also use secondary destinations to extend itineraries and distribute spending.

For airlines, the expanding network creates room for additional frequencies and new city pairs. For OTAs and tour operators, it creates opportunities for more personalised packages.

The strongest opportunity may come from combining these trends rather than treating them separately.

A direct flight to Phuket becomes more valuable when paired with wellness. A Chiang Mai service becomes more attractive when linked with culture and gastronomy. A Bangkok break can become a premium event-led itinerary.

Thailand And Vietnam Enter A Bigger Tourism Cycle

Thailand is changing how it views Vietnam with its new strategies at ITE HCMC 2026. Vietnam is no longer the convenient short-haul market of choice. TAT sees the Vietnamese market as an audience that is diverse and valuable enough to focus on.

Statistics show the interest is warranted. In 2025, Thailand welcomed 660,386 Vietnamese tourists. From January to August 2026, Thailand welcome 359,932 Vietnamese tourists. TAT expects the full year to bring at least 600,000 Vietnamese tourists.

The new focus relies on conversion. More flights means more trips. Trips need to become longer and more importantly, provide more value.

Expanding the market will grow the demand for longer, experience-based tourism in both countries. With more flights coming online and an expanding young market looking for new experiences, Thailand and Vietnam’s tourism market is ripe for a new, more ambitious job.

FAQs

What Is Thailand Promoting at ITE HCMC 2026?

Thailand is promoting a broader tourism portfolio covering culture, wellness, sport, major events, food and emerging destinations. The Tourism Authority of Thailand presented these experiences through its “New Thailand: Modern Thai Market” pavilion.

Why Is Thailand Targeting Younger Vietnamese Travellers?

Thailand sees Gen Z and millennial travellers as an increasingly valuable market. Their interest in independent travel, experiences, wellness, food, events and lifestyle tourism creates opportunities beyond traditional beach holidays.

How Many Thailand–Vietnam Flights Are Expected in 2026?

Seven airlines are expected to operate 14,437 direct Thailand–Vietnam flights in 2026, representing a 7% year-on-year increase. Greater connectivity could make short breaks and multi-destination holidays easier.

How Fast Is Vietnamese Demand for Thailand Growing?

Air bookings for Thailand increased 14.1% between June and August 2026. Forward bookings for the remainder of 2026 are forecast to rise by 9% to 23%, signalling continued demand.

Which Thai Destinations Are Popular With Vietnamese Travellers?

Bangkok, Chon Buri, Chiang Mai, Phuket and Krabi remain leading destinations. Thailand is also promoting secondary destinations such as Ayutthaya, Khao Yai, Kanchanaburi, Rayong and Phang-nga.

How Many Vietnamese Visitors Does Thailand Expect in 2026?

Thailand welcomed 359,932 Vietnamese visitors between 1 January and 18 August 2026. TAT expects at least 600,000 Vietnamese visitors during the full year.

Are Vietnamese Travellers Mostly Booking Package Holidays?

No. Independent travel accounts for around 71% of Vietnamese arrivals to Thailand. This makes flexible itineraries, direct flights and experience-led tourism particularly important for the market.