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Continuing the spirit of in-depth dialogue from Hanoi, The Insiders Forum 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City not only marks the second season of the workshop series within the framework of HOTLIST Travellive Editor's Pick, but also opens up a comprehensive picture of how Vietnam's tourism and hospitality industry is transforming: slower, deeper, and more sustainable, from the initial "seeds" of value to the "harvest" of long-term achievements.
Continuing the spirit of in-depth dialogue from Hanoi, The Insiders Forum 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City marks the second season of the HOTLIST Travellive Editor's Pick series of seminars.
From Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City: A journey of dialogue across Vietnam.
Following the success of The Insiders Forum Hanoi on January 7th, which attracted over 300 guests from government agencies, international organizations, the expert community, and business leaders in the tourism and hospitality sector, The Insiders Forum continues its journey in Ho Chi Minh City as an important stop on the cross-Vietnam tour of HOTLIST Travellive Editor's Pick 2025.
The event in Ho Chi Minh City is not only the next geographical stop, but also a shift in content depth. If Hanoi laid the intellectual foundation for this year's theme – "The Journey from Seed to Rice" – then Ho Chi Minh City became the space where those frameworks of thought are reflected in practice: where trends, models, and ideas are being tested, adjusted, and persistently pursued to create real value for the industry.
Identifying trends and the landscape of the Vietnamese tourism market.
Opening the seminar in Ho Chi Minh City, Ms. Le Minh Phuong - Founder and CEO of Travellive Media Group, Mr. Le Truong Hien Hoa - Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, and Ms. Camellia Dinh - Founder and CEO of The Brand Promise Company - the organizing partner of The Insiders Forum seminar series, delivered keynote speeches, placing the program within the context of Vietnam's tourism industry entering a period of strong transformation, where the market is not only expanding in scale but also undergoing profound changes in structure and consumer behavior.
Ms. Le Minh Phuong - Founder and CEO of Travellive Media Group
Mr. Le Truong Hien Hoa, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism
The first part of the program was led by Richard Burrage, founder of Cimigo and a market research expert with over 35 years of experience, including nearly three decades working in Vietnam. Based on research data and practical observations, he outlined the distribution of tourists between urban and rural destinations, differences in spending habits, budgets, travel frequency, and popular types of experiences for each group. These figures not only reflect how the market is changing but also lay the groundwork for strategic questions about how the Vietnamese tourism industry needs to prepare for the next phase.
Richard Burrage, founder of Cimigo with over 35 years of experience, provides a comprehensive overview of the Vietnamese tourism market through measured data.
Customer experience in the digital age: Where technology and people create value together.
These points formed the basis for the discussion session "Customer Experience in the Digital Age," moderated by Mr. Nguyen Cao Son, Chairman of APC Group. Participating in the discussion were representatives from Trip.com Group, NovaDreams, SODÅ Hospitality Partner, and The Outbox Company, offering diverse perspectives on the application of technology, AI, and data in customer journey design.
Despite their diverse perspectives, the speakers shared a common point: technology only truly shines when it plays a supporting role, while emotional experiences and human elements are what create long-term engagement with tourists.
The speakers in the first panel focused on technology and the digital age.
Culture, identity, and destination stories in the race for differentiation.
Continuing the discussion on experiences, the workshop delved deeper into cultural elements and destination identity through a session on cultural experiences and identity building, moderated by Ms. Nguyen Tra Giang - Director of Business & Strategic Partnerships at Cision PR Newswire. The session brought together leaders and representatives from the Taiwan Tourism Bureau, Grant Thornton Vietnam, and The Pearl Hoi An.
Mr. Derek Chou, Director of the Taiwan Tourism Bureau in Ho Chi Minh City, shared about seasonal promotional campaigns, combining KOLs, travel bloggers, travel businesses, and media activities with Travellive, aiming to increase the number of tourists visiting Taiwan by 30% in 2025.
Speakers in the second panel discussion focused on culture, identity, and destination stories.
Based on practical experience, Ms. Nguyen Hai Minh emphasized that identity cannot be "created" in a short time, but needs to be nurtured through understanding the people, the rhythm of life, and the local heritage, so that culture becomes a natural part of the accommodation experience.
From a strategic consulting perspective, Kenneth Atkinson OBE argues that destination identity should be viewed as a long-term commitment, where culture, community, and business ecosystem work together to create value. Successful destinations, he believes, are those that patiently invest in their own story, rather than simply copying models or messages from elsewhere.
The guests listened to insights from industry experts.
MICE and destination weddings: From potential to implementation capacity
The final discussion session of the program focused on the MICE market and destination weddings in Vietnam, moderated by Mr. Robert Rankin - General Manager of Abercrombie & Kent Vietnam. Participants included leaders and representatives from Marriott International Vietnam; The Planners; The Brand Promise, HelmsBriscoe, and Fairmont Hanoi.
Speakers unanimously recognized Vietnam as a young market with great potential, thanks to its diverse landscapes and vibrant destination scene, particularly in the destination wedding segment. However, for sustainable development, the MICE market needs simultaneous improvements in infrastructure, capacity, visa policies, airfares, and the level of collaboration among entities within the same ecosystem. Without sufficient coordination among hotels, convention centers, and event organizers, potential will be difficult to translate into tangible results.
The speakers unanimously recognized Vietnam as a young market with great potential, thanks to its diverse landscapes and vibrant destination energy, especially in the destination wedding segment.
A journey that continues
Concluding The Insiders Forum 2025 in Ho Chi Minh City, the dialogues went beyond simply identifying trends, opening up a longer-term perspective on the development of Vietnam's tourism and hospitality industry. Throughout the program, the spirit of "from seed to grain" was present as a reminder that sustainable development does not come from hasty steps, but from a process of listening, accumulating knowledge, and long-term collaboration.
Every conversation, every connection made today may be just a small seed, but it is these seeds that will contribute to the harvest of the future – where Vietnam's tourism industry develops not only in scale, but also in depth, identity, and real value.
The Insiders Forum offers long-term perspectives on the development of Vietnam's tourism and hospitality industry and its in-depth connections.
HOTLIST Travellive Editor's Pick is an annual program organized by Travellive Media Group to recognize and honor brands, individuals, and initiatives that have made positive contributions to the development of Vietnam's tourism and hospitality industry. The 2025 journey concludes with the HOTLIST 2025 Awards Ceremony on the evening of January 19, 2026, as a culmination of dialogue, networking, and accumulated experience throughout the year.
