After expanding administrative boundaries and moving towards a modern super urban area, Ho Chi Minh City has entered a period of strong transformation in tourism development, especially in the MICE segment (resort tourism combined with conferences and event organization). Not only possessing a synchronous infrastructure and a dynamic destination brand, the city is also expected to become an attractive destination for MICE tourism.
Speaking with Lao Dong, Ms. Tran Thi Bao Thu - Marketing - Communications Director of Vietluxtour Company said that expanding urban space helps Ho Chi Minh City increase the ability to welcome large-scale MICE groups, while opening up opportunities to connect regions and develop services. This is considered an important " lever" to promote the MICE tourism industry in the near future.
Ho Chi Minh City's accommodation and service infrastructure is currently quite complete, with rooms ranging from high-end to popular, along with an increasingly synchronous airport system, transportation and conference center.
International support and promotion policies have also been focused on, creating conditions to attract the return of international MICE customers.
However, the flow of international MICE customers in Ho Chi Minh City has not fully recovered. Competition in the region is also increasing as MICE centers such as Singapore, Thailand, Korea... continue to invest in specialized services and high-quality human resources. Meanwhile, Vietnam's human resources for MICE experts are still limited.
In addition, expanding administrative boundaries opens up many opportunities, but also raises the problem of synchronizing services and building a unified MICE brand between Ho Chi Minh City and neighboring localities.
"To realize the leading position in the region, it is necessary to focus on improving the quality of human resources, customer experience and making a difference in products" - Ms. Thu emphasized.
Sharing the same view, Ms. Huynh Phan Phuong Hoang - Deputy General Director of Vietravel Tourism Company said that the merger of boundaries creates conditions to extend the length of stay of guests, expand the space for organizing events.
With close coordination and synchronous policies, Ho Chi Minh City can completely become a leading destination for domestic and international MICE customers.
According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, after the merger, the city will not only expand its area and population, but also form a diverse tourism ecosystem - from modern urban areas, islands, to traditional cultural and industrial spaces. This is an important foundation for Ho Chi Minh City to promote the development of MICE tourism - a type of tourism with great potential but has not yet fully exploited its advantages.
Currently, MICE is identified as a strategic product in the city's tourism development orientation. Ho Chi Minh City is promoting and advertising in key markets, creating conditions for businesses to access trends, consumer behavior and the needs of international visitors.
Notably, Ho Chi Minh City (formerly) has been honored as "Asia's Leading MICE Tourism Destination" for 5 consecutive years at the World MICE Awards. This demonstrates the city's professional position and strong development potential on the regional MICE map.
