Tourists go through immigration at HCM City’s Tan Son Nhat International Airport. (Photo sggp.org.vn)As Vietnam’s economic hub, the city has many businesses withdemand for MICE tourism as they seek to combine business and pleasure to thankemployees, customers and partners after the difficult pandemic period.
Vietravel Company said since the start of this year it has served300 MICE delegations with over 20,000 people.
Saigontourist Company has organized MICE tours for 14,000 people.
“MICE businesses have boomed. After the Lunar New Year holiday inFebruary Saigontourist has organised big tours for businesses to hold reviewmeetings and ceremonies for awarding employees. In March we had a record 750 delegateson the Da Nang-Hoi An tour,” Hoang Thuy Linh, deputy director of marketing andIT at Saigontourist, said.
Vu Thi Thanh Hien, deputy director of the five-star Hotel GrandSaigon, said: “[My] hotel has capitalised on this market. We will continue toimprove services, products and accommodation. We also enhance marketing of thecity … as MICE organisers.”
The city’s Department of Tourism has organised training coursesfor tour guides, restaurants and hotels on food safety and hygiene and signedpacts with other sectors to better serve tourists.
It has also signed agreements with the European Chamber ofCommerce in Vietnam (EuroCham) and the Vietnam Airport Ground Services Co Ltd(VIAGS) for boosting tourism.
It will work with EuroCham to promote MICE and cuisine tourism tothe city in 2022-2024.
They will strengthen market research and human resources training,and share experiences in tourism management and operation.
They will step up direct promotion to popularise the city amongmore European firms and citizens in the country and abroad.
EuroCham Chairman Alain Cany said the tourism sector is recoveringand EuroCham appreciated Vietnam’s reopening to tourists and the visa exemptionfor Europeans.
EuroCham hopes to help the city strengthen its capacity toresearch, develop its website and train human resources, he added.
In 2022-27 the city and VIAGS will co-ordinate for market researchand developing a tourism trademark for the city, thus attracting more MICE tourists.
Travel companies said the favourite destinations in the countryfor MICE tours are Phu Quoc Island and Da Nang, Nha Trang, Da Lat, PhanThiet, Vung Tau, Sa Pa, and Dien Bien cities.
Customers prefer destinations with natural scenic spots and goodinfrastructure and services to accommodate large delegations./.
VNA
