A MICE tour group in Da Nang (Photo: VNA) Hanoi (VNA) – Domestictravel companies have reported a surge in MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions) tourism in the first quarter of 2024, with both tourist arrivalsand revenues exceeding those recorded in the same period last year.
TranPhuong Linh, Director of Marketing and Information Technology at Ben ThanhTourist, said her company served over 8,000 MICE tourists in the period,mostly in Vung Tau, Bien Hoa, Phan Thiet, Bac Lieu, Ben Tre, Can Tho, andHanoi.
BenThanh Tourist has also recently expanded its MICE offerings to includeinternational destinations, hosting groups of 200-400 guests in Thailand, the Republic of Korea, Japan and China, she said, noting an annual growth of around 15% in the number of MICE tourists served.
As MICE tourisminvolves large groups and integrates various activities such as team-building,conferences and gala dinners, Linh said her company has been selective in eachpreparation stage, from choosing suppliers and convention centres to building aprofessional and experienced staff to cater effectively to client needs.
Meanwhile,Vietluxtour identified MICE as its biggest market segment, securing contractswith thousands of clients that resulted in a year-on-year increase of 35% inboth tourist arrivals and revenue.
Vietluxtour GeneralDirector Tran The Dung said 60% of domesticMICE tourists opted for travel by car or railway, with popular routes includingHo Chi Minh City to Phan Thiet, Vung Tau, Nha Trang, Quy Nhon, Tuy Hoa, and Hanoito Ha Long, Sa Pa, Ninh Binh and Sam Son. Notably, the average spending perguest on these tours reached 6 million VND (250 USD).
Beyond increasingtrade promotion activities to tap into new markets, he said his company isoptimising tour quality to ensure customersatisfaction and retention.
Healso anticipated a further growth in the MICE tourism segment this year, particularlyamong clients from real estate, banking, and apparel industries./.
