HUTECH Master’s student “Pioneer” the Future of Digital Tourism with the Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism
- 04/07/2025
The exchange session attracted a large number of graduate students.
At the beginning of the program, the speaker provided an overview of the tourism landscape in Ho Chi Minh City.
He also shared impressive figures reflecting the growth of the city's tourism sector. In 2023, the total tourism revenue reached 190 trillion VND, accounting for a significant share of the city’s economic structure. To sustain and further this position, Ho Chi Minh City has been actively implementing cutting-edge technologies, including Artificial Intelligence (AI), Big Data, Blockchain, and Online Travel Agency (OTA) platforms, in order to meet the evolving needs of tourists and create deeply personalized experiences.
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Mr. Hien Hoa highlighted the key role of AI and Big Data in the future of tourism. He elaborated on how businesses can apply AI to analyze customer data, personalize services, forecast tourism trends, and manage destinations more effectively. Specifically, he introduced several digital tools developed by the city, such as the Ho Chi Minh City digital tourism portal (visithcmc.vn), the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism mobile app, and the 3D digital map. These platforms not only assist tourists but also help businesses make better use of customer data.
During a lively Q&A session with the students, Mr. Hiền Hòa underscored the critical role of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) in the digital transformation process. According to statistics, SMEs account for 90% of all tourism businesses and are therefore essential in implementing digital transformation strategies. For success, he noted, businesses must clearly understand their internal capabilities, identify customer needs, and adopt suitable technological solutions in a step-by-step manner.
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Beyond digital transformation, Mr. Hien Hoa also focused on sustainable development—a topic receiving increasing attention in modern tourism. He shared successful models that apply technology to address environmental challenges, manage tourist flows, and preserve local cultural heritage. According to him, sustainable tourism is not merely a trend but a necessary direction for the long-term growth of the industry.
The final part of the session was dedicated to addressing questions from the graduate students. Many raised practical concerns about applying new technologies in tourism management and operations, effectively implementing digital platforms in SMEs, and the future of Ho Chi Minh City’s tourism in the face of rapid technological change and rising customer expectations.
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