The final months of the year mark a peak season for both shopping and tourism. Various initiatives designed to stimulate demand by linking retail, travel, and services are helping to boost consumption, providing the momentum needed for Ho Chi Minh City’s economy to reach its target of double-digit growth.
Ho Chi Minh City launches shopping stimulus program for year-end season
In early November, major retail chains such as AEON, Saigon Co.op, MM Mega Market, and GO! along with many other retailers launched a continuous series of promotions. These include direct discounts on essential goods, fashion, and cosmetics, alongside category-specific offers and large-scale, coordinated shopping events.
This year’s shopping season also highlights a growing synergy between retail and services. For instance, Vietnam Airlines is stimulating travel demand for the 2027 Tet holiday by offering promotional fares ranging from VND666,000 (US$26) to VND888,000 per leg inclusive of taxes and fees on select return routes connecting Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi with destinations in the Central region, such as Da Nang, Hue, Tuy Hoa, and Quy Nhon.
Similarly, Saigontourist Group has introduced a variety of accommodation, resort, and hotel service packages with discounts ranging from 10 percent to 60 percent, effectively bridging the demand for shopping, tourism, and entertainment.
Nguyen Minh Man, Deputy General Director of VinaGroup Travel, noted that these integrated promotional programs expand access to high-quality services, while enabling businesses to diversify their product offerings and attract more customers. To provide a boost to the market during the final months of 2026 and the 2027 Lunar New Year (Tet) holiday, Ho Chi Minh City is launching an initiative to develop an integrated ecosystem for shopping, consumption, and services. Titled "Vibrant HCMC - Shopping Season 2026", the program carries the message "Ho Chi Minh City – Vibrant in Every Experience."
The event is scheduled to kick off on the evening of November 11 in the city center, marking the start of a series of year-end promotional activities. These include large-scale livestream sales events, featuring collaborations with KOLs and KOCs to better reach consumers via digital platforms.
With an expected total transaction value exceeding VND30 trillion, the program aims to stimulate purchasing power, support businesses, and provide fresh momentum to the market.
Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Week to boost tourism and visitor spending
Anticipating the demand for early bookings, travel companies have rolled out various promotional offers. Huynh Phan Phuong Hoang, Deputy General Director of Vietravel, stated that the company has launched its "Spring 2027" program running until February 28, 2027 which includes a VND3.5 million discount for early bookings, a VND2 million subsidy for visa fees, and additional gifts for select domestic and international tours, totaling approximately VND6 million in value.
The tourism market is also showing a clearer distinction between short-term domestic getaways, regional trips suitable for multi-generational families, and longer-haul journeys to destinations across Asia, Europe, Australia, the Americas, and Africa.
According to Tran Thi Bao Thu, Marketing and Communications Director at Vietluxtour, the number of tour bookings has increased by 20 percent–25 percent compared to the same period last year. Under the theme "A Carefree Tet," Vietluxtour is focusing on enhancing service quality, with a commitment to no hidden fees and no changes to planned itineraries.
Between now and the end of the year, a series of large-scale cultural, sports, and tourism events in Ho Chi Minh City is expected to create a vibrant atmosphere, expand opportunities for leisure and new experiences, and drive demand for services.
From November 14 to December 12, the 10th National Sports Games will take place, with Ho Chi Minh City serving as the primary host, an event set to attract a large number of athletes, sports fans, and tourists.
On the evening of November 24, in celebration of Vietnam Cultural Day, Ho Chi Minh City plans to host a 15-minute high-altitude fireworks display across three locations: the Nguyen Hue Pedestrian Street area, Bach Dang Wharf Park along the Saigon River, and the Tam Thang Tower square. This will serve as a highlight for the city’s cultural and tourism activities.
The 6th Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Week, scheduled for December 4–12 alongside the Ho Chi Minh City International Marathon, is expected to further stimulate the city's tourism and service sectors. Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism Pham Huy Binh said continuous innovation in tourism products, coupled with the development of nighttime tourism, river tours, culinary experiences and large-scale events, is key to encouraging longer stays and higher visitor spending.
Through these initiatives, Ho Chi Minh City is progressively leveraging its cultural potential and event-hosting capacity to expand the value chain of its tourism and service sectors, thereby contributing to the city's overall economic growth.
Nguyen Nguyen Phuong, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade, said the city’s year-end demand stimulation strategy will prioritize building an integrated ecosystem that connects shopping, consumption, and services rather than depending solely on short-term promotions or discount programs. According to him, the approach is designed to create broader business opportunities for enterprises, generate practical benefits for consumers, and support the city’s overall economic growth.
