Published on
October 29, 2025
The launch of new culinary tourism programmes intends to promote diversification of tourism in Ho Chi Minh City and is now being offered by the Department of Tourism in its most current announcement. As of October 22, 2025, and in line with those objectives, Ho Chi Minh City is focusing on becoming the premier culinary travel destination in Vietnam and the leading gastronomy tourism centre of Southeast Asia.
Local travel agencies developed these programmes to showcase the culture of Ho Chi Minh City through its culinary and dynamic dining, shopping, and sightseeing nexus. This is line with the 2025 culinary tourism development strategy, which intends to put gastronomy at the centre of the city’s tourism offerings by 2030.
Ho Chi Minh City’s Unique Culinary Terrain
These days, Ho Chi Minh City, also called Saigon, is still celebrated for its variety of street food and high end dining, and specialty items from the region. The city’s diverse food scene is also a reflection of the Vietnamese dishes and the French colonial influences which are integrated with other external cuisines. These days, new culinary tourism programmes offer a framework of tours with specific focuses on the city’s food, ranging from cooking classes, domestic market walkthroughs, and guided food-centred walking outings which aim to provide a taste of the city’s energetic food culture.
Tours will introduce foreign food tourists to local classics such as pho, banh mi, goi cuon, and hu tieu, emphasizing the local products, preparation methods, and the socio-cultural context of food in Vietnam. These programmes also skillfully combine a deep insight into the city’s culinary heritage with first hand authentic food experiences, transporting tourists to a different time and place with the influence of rich local history.
Culinary tours that suit every palate.
The new culinary programs are designed with different interests in mind, ranging from local street fare to more sophisticated dining options. One of the heavily sought-after options is the street food walking tours, where patrons can enjoy local snacks and speciality dishes at lively and popular street front shops and open markets such as the Ben Thanh Market and the Binh Tay Market.
More advanced students of Vietnamese gastronomy may enjoy working with local chefs conducting cooking classes, in which chefs instruct students in the art of cleaning, seasoning, and cooking dishes attuned to combinations of locally available, fresh Vietnamese ingredients. These masterclasses are about educating the tourists by cooking activities from different levels so that they are enabled to prepare those dishes at their residences.
In addition, the regime will involve some of the speciality culinary tours, such as those which focus on the Mekong Delta and Central Vietnamese regional cuisines, which will enable visitors to appreciate the various aspects of Ho Chi Minh City’s culinary offerings that are reflective of the various regions of the country. These tours will highlight the burgeoning coffee culture of the city and include visits to coffee houses serving the renowned Vietnamese coffee offerings such as, cà phê sữa đá and egg coffee.
Increasing the Appeal of Tourism in Ho Chi Minh City
The deployment of these culinary tourism programs is an important milestone in the scope of advancing Ho Chi Minh City’s vision as an international gastronomic center. Bui Thi Ngoc Hieu, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, stated that these programs are vital to the central purpose of strengthening the international profile of the city as a global tourism hub. She pointed out how these tours offer a different kind of tourism and insight into a culture, and how this also has a positive impact on economic development, especially in the case of local commerce and the tourism industry.
There is also an emphasis on the food tourism project within Vietnam’s effort to augment its tourism profile, in making the country a necessary stop for all travelers. Vietnam is well endowed in culture, history, and food, and is progressively establishing a strong international presence in food tourism, with Ho Chi Minh City leading the charge.
Connecting Culinary Tourism with Sustainable Development
Pairs of local and visiting chefs work together to enhance local culinary-based community programs, while workshops and festivals with local and international chefs foster a deeper understanding of global culinary diplomacy.
Including local and regional foods in daily menus and promoting local and seasonal menus to improve purchasing, and advertising the local community through menus is a sustainable and fully responsible practice.
The planned information system supports betting, payments, and trip requests to culinary tourism program operators. Tourists can also buy packages from Polish culinary tourism operators who obtain them from the City Tourism Board and add a local culinary guide.
Moreover, there are accommodation facilities alongside the major attractions and food districts, which allows the guests to experience the whole culinary delight during the visit.
Conclusion
With the advent of culinary tourism programs in Ho Chi Minh City, the city now has an additional feature in its tourism portfolio. The programs serve the interest of tourists by combining food, culture, and wildlife sustainability in an immersive, authentic experience which showcases the vast Vietnamese food heritage. The city is poised to maintain its growth as a significant tourism center, and the culinary tourism component is likely to be a major ‘pull’ feature of the city, welcoming food enthusiasts from across the globe.
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