Annual travel expo to move to new venue in HCM City

The sixth edition of the International Travel Expo (ITE) in HCM City, the largest tourism event in Viet Nam, will be held September 30-October 2.

La Quoc Khanh, deputy director of the HCM City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the expo would be held at the new, modern Sai Gon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC) in the Phu My Hung area in District 7.

Yesterday, the organisers of ITE 2010 announced the participation of 155 buyers from 35 countries and regions, nine tourism promotional organisations including those from India, Turkey, China, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, and 15 newspapers and magazines from 13 countries, including Sweden, Italy, Thailand, Australia, Canada, Germany, China, Russia and France.

During the event, several networking opportunities will be available, including the ASEAN Tourism Investment Forum; a conference with four ministers from Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Viet Nam; 2010 Tourism Alliance Awards; Viet Nam Night; Cambodia Night; and a lunch party hosted by the Thailand Ministry of Tourism.

ITE 2010 is open only to trade visitors and buyers on the first day and a half of the event. It is open to the public for a half day on October 1 and 2.

“ITE 2010, with the theme Three Countries One Destination, offers business opportunities for both inbound and outbound travel all at one event,” said Nguyen Van Tan, the department director and manager of the city representative office of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

“Besides offering a channel for Cambodia, Laos and Viet Nam to promote themselves, the event is an opportunity for our tourism to look back and improve so that it can be better.”

The previous ITE 2009 held last year at the Phu Tho stadium in District 11 attracted 186 exhibiting organisations and companies from 16 countries and regions, 109 buyers from 21 countries and regions, and 14,242 visitors (4,939 trade and 9,303 public visitors). — VNS

Tags: International Travel Expo, ITE 2010