Regional linkages trend boosts Vietnam's tourism industry

From focusing on destinations to emphasizing journeys, the shift is opening a new path for Vietnam's tourism. With advantages in connecting the sea and the highlands, urban and rural areas, mountains and rivers, and a change in development mindset, many localities are now positioned to lead the regional collaboration trend in tourism. From the Mekong Delta to northern localities, destinations are actively cooperating to diversify experiences. During the Hanoi-VITM 2026 fair, the Mekong Delta Tourism Promotion Conference drew about 200 delegates from management agencies, associations and travel businesses nationwide to discuss regional tourism linkage trends. Speaking at the conference, Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoa Mai, Deputy Director of the National Administration of Tourism, stressed: 'The Mekong Delta needs to shift from developing single products to building an ecosystem of characteristic products, with quality at the center, thereby increasing value and lengthening visitors’ stays.' Regarded as a 'green tourism treasure,' the Mekong Delta hosts a distinctive riverine ecosystem, abundant orchard agriculture, and unique cultural identity. However, according to Mr. Duong Hoang Sum, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vinh Long Province, this potential has not yet been exploited adequately. 'Regional linkage is the key to turning potential into a competitive advantage, thereby creating distinctive travel itineraries and positioning the Mekong Delta on the international map,' Sum said. Experts also argued that to elevate tourism in the 'Nine Dragons' region, four pillars should be emphasized: developing distinctive products, investing in coherent infrastructure, promoting market linkage, and building a common brand identity. In particular, green tourism and slow-living experiences are seen as standout advantages of the Mekong Delta amid growing traveler demand for sustainable value. Also at VITM 2026, the Ninh Binh Department of Tourism, in coordination with the Cultural, Sports and Tourism Departments of Heng Yen and Ca Mau, organized a conference on tourism promotion with the theme 'Connecting heritage, spreading identity.' The event aims to foster cross-regional tourism development across the North–Central–South, and to create opportunities for cross-regional tourism products with strong potential. Speaking at the conference, Mr. Pham Duy Phong, Deputy Director of the Ninh Binh Department of Tourism, emphasized that each locality holds distinctive values that complement one another in product development. Ninh Binh stands out with the Trang An landscape complex—World Heritage Site; Ca Mau attracts with its forest–sea ecosystem in the southernmost region; Heng Yen is known for cultural depth, traditional crafts, and delta heritage. The trend toward regional linkage will help form diverse tours, connecting cultural, spiritual, and ecological tourism, thus enhancing competitiveness and attracting visitors. Mr. Pham Van Hieu, Deputy Director of Heng Yen’s Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, underscored the significance of the event as a reinforcement of cooperative spirit, with initial commitments to be translated into concrete action programs and products in the near future. Current trends show that travelers now design itineraries that combine multiple spaces. Tourism is no longer a matter of going to a single place; it is an experience across spaces within one journey. This also means that localities cannot continue to develop in isolation but must join a broader linked framework. With its particular geography, the central region is leading in forming cross-regional itineraries. The short distance between sea and highland, along with a growing transportation network, enables travelers to move between different tourism spaces within a few hours. Under the new framework, coastal cities such as Hue, Da Nang, Hoi An, and Nha Trang serve as 'anchor points' welcoming large visitor flows. From there, travelers can be directed to western areas that possess unique ecological and cultural resources. At the Vietnam International Travel Fair—VITM 2026, the Central regional tourism alliance (Da Nang – Thua Thien Hue – Quang Tri) created exhibition spaces with a strong heritage flavor, where visitors can 'touch' culture through handicrafts or destination imagery displayed on modern digital platforms. Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Thien, Deputy General Director of Hai Van Cat International Travel JSC, stated that the linkage among three localities is not merely an arithmetic sum, but a synergy to create a massive funnel for international and domestic visitors. In 2026, the three localities plan to focus on building a shared digital brand identity 'One Journey - Three Destinations,' applying it uniformly across the cluster. Rather than competing, each locality should play a specialized role in the traveler’s journey. For example, Da Nang acts as the 'gateway' with its international airport, high-end accommodations, modern entertainment products, and MICE tourism; Hue is the soul of the linkage with royal court values and spiritual tourism; Quang Tri will leverage its unique wartime heritage to create strong emotions for international visitors seeking historical understanding. 'We need to discard the mindset of administrative boundaries in tourism products and build a journey with multiple experiences. Propose tours such as 'Journey to recover the dynasty’s imprint' (Hue – Hoi An) or 'The Road to Peace' (Quang Tri – Quang Binh). At the same time, implement a smart travel card allowing visitors to use at heritage sites and interconnected transport between the three localities at preferential prices…' Thien suggested. From the Mekong Delta to the northern localities, destinations are proactively cooperating to diversify experiences, aiming to build sustainable tourism value chains and enhance competitiveness. However, in practice, regional linkage still faces many challenges: some itineraries lack clear differentiation; connectivity infrastructure and support services are not fully synchronized; without a clear role for each locality, the risk of product duplication is hard to avoid. If not addressed, cross-regional journeys will stretch geographically but fail to increase value.