By Ly Ly Cao

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam officially inaugurated the first Glorious Spring Fair 2026 on February 2 at the Vietnam Exhibition Centre in Hà Nội, kicking off a national trade promotion series aimed at stimulating domestic consumption, strengthening supply chains, and reinforcing the role of the internal market as a key pillar of economic growth.

Held under the theme Connecting Prosperity – Welcoming a Glorious Spring, the event brings together around 2,500 domestic enterprises and 3,000 booths showcasing Vietnamese goods and brands across sectors.

The fair, planned to be held until February 13, isxpected to to attract millions of visitors during the peak Tết (Lunar New Year) shopping season.

Speaking at the opening ceremony, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính described the Glorious Spring Fair as a strategic economic catalyst at the very start of the year.

"The event is a running start to ignite the domestic consumer market, a new impulse to energise production and business activities and a strategic lever to create breakthrough development momentum right from early 2026," he said.

According to the Prime Minister, the fair reflects the Government’s determination to develop domestic trade alongside exports and investment, contributing to macroeconomic stability and reinforcing market confidence.

He emphasised that despite tight preparation timelines and high technical requirements, the event was delivered on schedule thanks to what he described as high determination, great effort and decisive action.

The first Glorious Spring Fair 2026 is structured into eight thematic zones, designed as a ‘journey across Việt Nam’ that integrates trade, culture and consumer experience.

These include zones highlighting local economic achievements, agricultural products and OCOP items, industrial and commercial enterprises, cultural industries, traditional handicrafts and outdoor food and festival activities.

One of the key highlights is the Prosperous Spring zone, curated by the Ministry of Industry and Trade, which brings together enterprises across manufacturing, commerce, distribution and services.

The zone focuses on supply-demand matching, stimulating consumption and expanding markets during the Tết season, reinforcing the domestic market’s role in supporting overall economic growth.

In his address, Prime Minister Phạm Minh Chính underlined that the fair is oriented towards people and consumers, promoting high-quality Vietnamese goods and reinforcing the Vietnamese prioritise Vietnamese goods campaign.

He said the event demonstrates a firm stance against low-quality and untraceable products while encouraging enterprises to upgrade standards and competitiveness.

Beyond stimulating consumption, the fair also serves as a trade and investment connectivity platform, facilitating both business-to-business and business-to-consumer engagement.

According to the Prime Minister, it is a place where trade flows are unblocked, domestic and foreign resources are connected and new development opportunities are unlocked.

The event also aligns with Việt Nam’s national digital transformation strategy with the launch of the VEC Mini App, integrating e-ticketing, smart navigation, event registration and cashless payment services.

These digital solutions are intended to enhance the visitor experience and support modern trade promotion practices.

Prime Minister Chính called on ministries, local authorities and businesses to treat the Glorious Spring Fair as a stepping stone towards building a national fair model that meets international standards.

He stressed that the event should move beyond product display towards value-based promotion, brand building and deeper integration into regional and global value chains.

Having taken part in last year’s Golden Autumn Festival, Nguyễn Thu Hà, director of Tra Viet Service Trading Production JSC, hopes her handmade and environmentally friendly products will continue to reach more domestic customers at this first Glorious Spring Fair.

"The craftsmanship in Việt Nam is truly refined, but we face limitations in domestic consumption. At the moment, our primary markets are Russia and the US," Hà told Việt Nam News and Law reporters.

"I participated in the Golden Autumn Fair in 2025. My products stood out as eye-catching and unique, allowing me to sell out within just a few days.

"Honestly, I didn't expect to sell everything. My main goal was to raise awareness about my business and highlight the wonderful handicraft products from Việt Nam."

Through the event, Hà hopes Vietnamese handicrafts and green products will reach new heights on the international stage.

The first Glorious Spring Fair is organised under the direction of the Government, with the Ministry of Industry and Trade as the lead agency, in coordination with other ministries, local authorities and the private sector.

It follows the success of the first Autumn Fair 2025, which was described as the country’s first national-scale super fair and served as the foundation for establishing an annual fair model. — BIZHUB/VNS