Ho Chi Minh City River Festival 2025 Wins at the International Business Awards

Ho Chi Minh City River Festival Wins Additional International Awards

At the 22nd International Business Awards (IBA) ceremony recently held in Lisbon, Portugal, the Ho Chi Minh City River Festival 2024 – Vietnam proudly received two Gold Stevie Awards, adding to the impressive list of honors that this signature festival brand has earned.

The 2025 Ho Chi Minh City River Festival is set to take place in late November, promising an even more spectacular and immersive experience for the public.

This marks the first time a city festival in Vietnam has won a double award on the global creative stage — affirming Ho Chi Minh City’s efforts to shape an integrated tourism–culture–economy model with regional and international reach.

Conquering Global Recognition

The International Business Awards (IBA), part of the Stevie Awards system in the U.S., is one of the world’s most prestigious honors, often dubbed by the New York Post as the “Oscars of the business world.”
In 2025, the competition attracted over 3,800 nominations from 78 countries and territories, featuring participation from leading global organizations, corporations, brands, and media enterprises.

This recognition is also a source of pride for the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism and Newday Media, the producer of the opening art performance “The Legendary Voyage” — a creative showcase of Vietnamese tourism on the international stage.

The IBA 2025 awards ceremony took place on October 10 (local time) in Lisbon, Portugal.

The IBA jury praised the festival’s strategic vision, organizational scale, and cultural–economic–tourism impact.
One judge noted:

“The 2024 Ho Chi Minh City River Festival is a pioneering model in harmonizing heritage, tourism, and economic development. Its inspiring storytelling transforms the city’s river-based identity into a leading regional cultural and commercial destination.”

Another remarked that “The Legendary Voyage” was

“a symbolic cultural achievement, turning the Saigon River into a vibrant stage that celebrates Vietnamese heritage and global creativity.”

Chief Director Lê Hải Yến shared:

“We are proud to bring home such prestigious awards with the city. This recognition proves the River Festival’s influence both domestically and internationally. It inspires our team to continue innovating and delivering even more impressive programs — reaffirming Ho Chi Minh City’s position as a dynamic, modern river city rich in cultural identity.”

Building a Distinctive Festival Brand

Launched in 2023, the Ho Chi Minh City River Festival is a strategic initiative by the city’s Department of Tourism. It not only offers unique tourism experiences but also pioneers a community-based tourism model, connecting residents to the city’s cultural and economic “flow.”

Over the years, the festival has featured beloved and signature activities such as:

• River parades,

• Floating market reenactments,

• Water sports competitions,

• Performing arts shows, and

• Waterway tourism promotions.

Each edition has achieved impressive results:

• 2023: over 210,000 visitors, including 91,000 international guests.

• 2024: over 4.5 million participants, including 1.3 million tourists (121,000 international), generating an estimated 4,250 billion VND in tourism revenue.

Awards and Recognitions

The Ho Chi Minh City River Festival has received multiple prestigious national and international honors, including:

• Kotler Awards 2024: Recognized in the Impactful Destination category for its comprehensive contribution to destination branding and cultural influence.

• International Business Awards 2024: The opening musical “The River’s Tale” (produced by Newday Media) won the Gold Stevie Award in the Arts, Entertainment & Community – Cultural Event category — marking the festival’s debut on the global stage.

• Ho Chi Minh City Innovation Awards 2025: First Prize in Economic Development for creatively integrating culture, tourism, and economy to strengthen the city’s image as a vibrant river metropolis.

• International Business Awards 2025: Double Gold Stevie Awards for Arts, Entertainment & Public Festival (Ho Chi Minh City River Festival 2024) and Cultural Event (The Legendary Voyage opening show).

A Bridge to the Future

Success on the international stage paves the way for Ho Chi Minh City to continue developing the River Festival as a distinctive cultural–tourism product, constantly innovating so that each edition serves as both a signature annual event and a communication–economic catalyst for the city.

According to the organizers, the third edition of the Ho Chi Minh City River Festival will run under the theme “Bridging Through Time” from November 29 to December 31, 2025, expanding across multiple city locations such as:

• Nha Rong – Khanh Hoi – Saigon Port area,

• Bach Dang Wharf Park,

• Saigon Riverside Park,

• Viet Star Wharf (Tan Hung Ward),

• Crescent Lake – Phu My Hung (Tan My Ward),

• and other key tourism sites across the city.

The festival will offer the public rich cultural and artistic experiences, combining tradition with modern creativity.

Highlights of the 2025 Festival

To meet growing public anticipation, the 2025 River Festival will feature:

• Light and heritage boat performances on the river,

• Tourist boat parades,

• Floating market recreations,

• Binh Duong Culture–Cuisine–Tourism Week,

• and Street Carnivals in Ba Ria–Vung Tau.

The event will also connect waterway tourism promotions, shopping incentives, art performances, and regional linkages, promising a vibrant and diverse festival space that celebrates the essence of Ho Chi Minh City’s river culture.

📍Source: Portal of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam (MOCST)   | Photos: Collected

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