With the successful conclusion of ITE HCMC 2025, participants came away with a lot of food for thought with regard to the further development of the tourism sector, not just in Vietnam or in Asia, but throughout the globe.
The conference's dual emphasis on digital advancement and sustainability in tourism, the challenge that the industry needs to face post-event is seeking a balance between the two.
In light of this, Travel Daily Media shares five insights we picked up over the course of the programme, and these have far-reaching implications for the industry in the future.
Tourism is humanistic
The practice of tourism does not just revolve around the promotion of destinations and the development of relevant infrastructure.
If we go by the insights shared by Vietnamese Deputy Prime Minister Mai Van Chinh, the industry is humanistic: literally people interacting with people sharing the best of their culture and traditions.
A humanistic approach to tourism development calls for bringing out the best in its human resources by way of training, hands-on exposure, and immersion to get a keener understanding not just of a location, but of the people who give it its identity.
Likewise, let us not forget that tourism is all about service to others.
Now, that may sound altruistic, but consider this: with health and wellness tourism set to take a bigger share of the global market, the human touch can certainly go a long way.
Tourism is dynamic
Let's be frank: the measures by which tourism boards promote their nations have come a long way from mere leafleting at conventions.
When it comes to tourism promotion, digital technology puts a great deal of tools at one's fingertips: social media is just the tip of the iceberg; we've been seeing soft partnerships with streaming media providers like Netflix and HBO, along with a whole spew of key opinion leaders (KOLs) sharing content on their respective channels.
However, the chief pitfall of going digital is that the context in which destinations are promoted may not be aligned with that of the tourism board: some influencers tend to share their opinions rather than sticking to the script, but this can be prevented by putting down rules early on.
Likewise, hardware in destinations goes a long way towards enhancing the tourism experience.
Consider this: robotics and mobility technologies can make exploration easier and more comfortable for the differently abled, the very young, the infirm, and the elderly.
At the same time, the implementation of nascent technologies like artificial intelligence and big data are also helpful in the sense that these can be used for more than just planning and coordination, but also for anticipating upcoming trends.
Tourism needs to consider the environment
By this, we aren't just talking about practices regarding water conservation and waste reduction in tourism operations.
Environmental concerns are farther reaching in this case, especially in the context of the post-convention tour that brought us to the arboretum en route to the resort enclave of Ho Tram.
At the arboretum, the chief ranger / curator explained that the area used to be off-limits to both foreign and domestic travellers as Vietnamese researchers sought to document the flora and fauna of the 25,000-ha rainforest where trees grow to a height of 35m.
Now, the arboretum is used as a living classroom that teaches visitors about the biological riches of Vietnam and what the country is doing to keep them alive and thriving.
The Ho Tram arboretum is just one site among many in Asia dedicated to such a use, and it is to be hoped that they will keep the continent's endemic species in place for generations to come.
Tourism needs to be regenerative
With regenerative tourism, practices that seek to support both the people and the environment, ITE HCMC showed guests a prime example in the Bonin Cacao Farm about an hour outside of Ho Tram.
Here, one can see how the local people and the private sector support each other through the cultivation of vital crops which, in turn, lead to the creation of economically viable products.
While not yet on the same level of the agriturismos of Italy as they provide no onsite accommodations, such measures served as yet another way by which communities can support themselves whilst offering healthy, organic, and fulfilling experiences to travellers.
Tourism demands balanced action
Finally, tourism development would never come to pass if the public and private sectors can't bring themselves to come together and make it work.
Development can be properly set n motion through good governance and strong political will: no cutting corners, no cheap compromises.
It calls for active coordination and ensuring quality control to ensure optimal results.
This is the backbone of Vietnam's evolving tourism sector, and it is a strong foundation indeed for great things to come.
