The 2009 International Travel Expo at Ho Chi Minh City formally became a national travel event, Nguyen Van Tuan General Director of the National Administration of Tourism of Vietnam announced on June 3.

This is the fifth annually held expo and will be held from October 1 to 3 at Phu Tho Exhibition Center.

The expo is regarded as Vietnam’s foremost tourism trade event and a vital occasion on travel trade calendars.

The event will showcase travel opportunities in Indochina, including a tour of Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, “Three Countries One Destination.”

According to the organization committee, the expo will attract 450 domestic and foreign travel companies and more than 10,000 visitors.

Vietnam Airlines, as well as other international airlines, pledged to help bring company representatives to join the exhibition.

In addition to the main program, seminars and networking opportunities will also be held, including the Tourism Investment Conference and Tourism Alliance Awards Dinner.

The conference is designed for top level decision makers actively engaged in tourism investment, development and operations.

Delegations will include tourism ministers, government leaders, senior executives from the private sector, investors and senior officials of international organizations.