HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam, Dec. 14, 2023 /PRNewswire/ -- All the gourmet diners come to Ho Chi Minh City to savor, explore, and experience the wonderful transformation of its cuisine. Thousands of dishes from countries around the world such as Thailand, India, Japan, Korea, China... and the cuisine of all regions of Vietnam, all converge in Ho Chi Minh City, making this city an attractive destination for tourists.

Where transformative cuisine reigns supreme

In just the first 11 months of 2023, Ho Chi Minh City welcomed 4.6 million visitors, accounting for 41.1% of international visitors to Vietnam. The statistics shows that Ho Chi Minh City continues to be the top destination loved and chosen by tourists.

Tourism experts emphasize that one of the most enticing aspects of urban tourism for international visitors is the city's openness and fusion of cultures. Upon arrival, guests can immerse themselves in the rich and nuanced tapestry of global cultures, seamlessly intertwining like a river of cultural quintessence. This amalgamation creates a city boasting diverse features from around the world: Vietnamese, Chinese, British, Indian, Russian, Korean, American, French, Japanese, and beyond. It is this inclusivity that has bestowed upon Ho Chi Minh City a distinctive culture known as 'transformative cuisine' – a culinary haven where unique dishes from regions across the country and the globe converge harmoniously.

In Ho Chi Minh City, many dishes historically migrated from overseas, but creatively altered from within Vietnamese household kitchens, ultimately "transforming" them into truly Vietnamese dishes that have made their names known across the world.

"Banh mi" - a Vietnamese dish respected globally, yet originated from France. During the transformation process, the Vietnamese changed the French baguette from a thick, slightly soft crust and dense crumb to a crispy, hollow, and more spongy crust. Not only that, the filling inside the "Banh mi" is also extremely unique. The "concept" of Vietnamese "Banh mi" is bread with fillings consisting of "a little bit of everything" such as pâté, meat, shredded pork or pork floss, and pickled vegetables... Gradually, this dish not only conquered the Vietnamese people but also attracted international guests and made its appearance in many places of the world. In 2011, the Oxford Dictionary recognized "Banh mi" as a separate dish, meaning that this dish was honored to be added to the Oxford Dictionary, confirming it as a proper noun: "Banh mi" - (banh mi /ˈbɑːn miː/).

The transformative cuisine of Ho Chi Minh City is unique and creative when it comes to harmonizing the culinary cultures of the three regions. The most notable is Pho - the top dish of the North, but when journeying southward, there was a spectacular change in the taste and way of eating. Pho - Saigon Style has a sweeter broth, more cinnamon, pho noodles from thin strands to thick strands, meat served with beef balls, served with bean sprouts, hoisin sauce, red sauce... With this transformation, Pho has conquered diners from five continents with the same method as any cultural product: To leave its place of origin and assimilate itself harmoniously with the local culinary culture.

The campaign "Ho Chi Minh City - All you can eat"

Vietnam's tourism development strategy until 2030 has identified cuisine as one of the typical products that positions Vietnam's tourism as a brand. Therefore, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism has launched the campaign "Ho Chi Minh City - All you can eat", taking transformative cuisine as the highlight to spread cultural and culinary values. At the same time, through international media channels, the campaign will contribute to promoting key and potential markets worldwide so that more and more foreign tourists want to visit and return to Ho Chi Minh City.

Mr Le Truong Hien Hoa – Deputy Director of Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism shared: "Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism has been implementing many activities to promote the city's tourism. The "Ho Chi Minh City - All you can eat" campaign will contribute to stimulating tourism demand, increasing the number of inbound visitors through culinary experiences and exploring local culture. The campaign not only promotes cuisine but also builds a diverse culinary map for tourists, and at the same time, promotes Vietnam's rich cuisine to international tourists, making culinary tourism a popular product to attract international tourists from around the world to Vietnam.

In addition, we hope that the "Ho Chi Minh City - All you can eat" campaign will be a leverage to attract tourists from key and potential markets around the world to come to the city through exploring and experiencing diverse cuisine in late 2023 and early 2024. In addition, the campaign will also contribute to increasing the awareness of the "Vibrant Ho Chi Minh City" brand and defining the city's tourism industry as a "top-of-mind" destination in Asia in the minds of tourists.

Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism also said that the promotional videos of Ho Chi Minh City's transformative cuisine will be broadcast in prime time and alternately throughout the day on CNN Asia, Discovery, Asian Food Network (AFN) television channels. At the same time, the videos will also be posted on Discovery and AFN's digital platforms and social media networks.

Furthermore, during November, the Heritage Guide showcasing tourism in Ho Chi Minh City is extensively distributed on all Vietnam Airlines' international and domestic flights. This publication serves as a comprehensive resource, offering visitors detailed information about Ho Chi Minh City's tourism, covering renowned architectural landmarks, distinctive cultural characteristics, and enticing cuisine featuring special dishes. Travelers can conveniently access the publication on Vietnam Airlines' website as well.

By engaging in these initiatives that span from the promotion of tourism and the introduction of innovative travel products to the enhancement of service quality, Ho Chi Minh City is progressively solidifying its presence on the global tourism stage. It is evolving into a highly appealing destination for both domestic and international tourists.