After a long gloomy period due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Ho Chi Minh City has seen an increasing demand for MICE tourism (meeting, incentive, convention, exhibition) from both Vietnamese and foreign customers.
A MICE delegation organized by Saigontourist company in March, 2022 (Photo: VOV)
As Vietnam’s economic center, Ho Chi Minh City has a big number of businesses with a high demand for MICE tourism as companies are combining tour and celebration to thank their employees, customers, and partners after the difficult pandemic period.
Vietravel, a leading travel firm, says since the beginning of the year it has served 300 MICE delegations of over 20,000 people. Saigontourist, another leading tour operator in Vietnam, has organized MICE tours for 14.000 customers.
"After the lunar new year holiday in February, Saigontourist has organized big tours for businesses and corporations to hold review meetings and ceremonies awarding employees. In March alone we had a record group of 750 delegates travelling the Da Nang-Hoi An tour.” says Hoang Thuy Linh, deputy director of Marketing and IT of Saigontourist.
Thi Quoc Duy, a representative of BenThanh Tourist Company, expects MICE demand will continue to surge through summer which is exciting for travel agencies. “In April we had many MICE groups. The biggest contract was signed with a company to organize different tours for 6,000 people to visit many provinces and cities,” reveals Duy.
Travel companies say that the favorite destinations are Phu Quoc, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Da Lat, Phan Thiet, Vung Tau, Sa Pa, and Dien Bien. Customers prefer destinations with natural scenic spots and good infrastructure and services to accommodate big delegations.
According to Vu Thi Thanh Hien, deputy director of Grand Sai Gon Hotel, the hotel has since the beginning of the year worked with travel agencies to organize many MICE tours.
“To catch up with the MICE trend, Grand Sai Gon Hotel has capitalized on this market to get profit, and we will continue to improve services, products, and accommodations th meet increasing demand in the coming months,” says Hien.
The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism has organized training courses for tour guides, restauranteurs, and hoteliers on food safety and hygiene. It has also signed cooperation plans with other sectors to better serve tourists.
Le Truong Hien Hoa, deputy director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, says it’s important to make a good impression on tourists at the very beginning.
“We receive a lot of good information of MICE delegations to Ho Chi Minh City. T&T company has a contract to serve 1,000 delegates from India from now to October. In order to ensure the best reception for guests, we will help travel companies to arrange tours, transportation, and vehicles for big delegations,” elaborates Hoa.
Identifying MICE as the center of its tourism development strategy has been the best decision for Ho Chi Minh City, which was selected as Asia’s best MICE destination at last year’s World MICE Awards.
