Ho Chi Minh City targets cultural industry and night economy to boost GDP by 2030

Ho Chi Minh City is pursuing a long‑term strategy that links its cultural industries with a vibrant night‑time economy. The city’s cultural sector contributed about 3.54 % of regional GDP in 2020 and grew roughly 5.7 % in 2025. Officials aim for the sector to represent 7‑8 % of the regional GDP by 2030, generating an estimated $5.692 billion in revenue.

The plan involves around 97 000 cultural workers and more than 17 600 enterprises across eight priority areas: advertising, fashion, exhibitions, cinema, cultural tourism, performing arts, photography and fine arts. From 2021‑2025 the city launched 67 infrastructure projects with total investment of about $137 million, including a new circus, a multi‑purpose hall, a youth cultural centre and a children’s palace.

Supporting measures include the upcoming launch of a digital investment‑promotion platform on 9 July and a $100 million loan from the Asian Development Bank to HDBank to expand financing for micro‑ and small‑enterprise entrepreneurs, especially women‑owned firms. The city expects these actions to lengthen tourist stays, increase visitor spending and reinforce Ho Chi Minh’s role as a regional cultural hub.