Hanoi (VNA) – MICE tourism, which combines meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions, is emerging as a high-value tourism product and a driver of trade, investment, knowledge, technology and cultural exchange.
Its value lies not only in visitor numbers but also in the business and other connections generated by each event. Promoting MICE is also in line with Politburo Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW, which aims to make tourism a key economic sector in the new era.
Leveraging its status as an economic, trade, and international connectivity hub, Ho Chi Minh City stands ready to serve as a connecting link, working alongside the Government, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, local authorities, the business community, and international partners to refine the environment for MICE development. It is positioning MICE as a strategic tourism product and seeking to become a regional MICE tourism centre.
The southern metropolis is promoting investment, enhancing human resource quality, developing infrastructure, applying technology, and creating MICE products characterised by high quality, distinct identity, and regional competitiveness, all while adhering to the direction set forth in Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW.
In late 2025, the muncipal People's Council issued Resolution No. 62/2025, stipulating policies to support the attraction of MICE tourism groups to the city for the 2026–2030 period. This marks a breakthrough in mindset and policy tools, demonstrating Ho Chi Minh City’s leading role in tourism development—including the MICE sector—towards professionalism, high quality, and international competitiveness.
Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra has called for a national MICE tourism development strategy, competitive policies to attract leading global organisers, the targeted development of MICE tourism hubs linked to strategic connectivity infrastructure, and international-standard conference and exhibition complexes.
She stressed the need to link MICE tourism with culture, heritage, cuisine, the night-time economy, maritime tourism, and healthcare and wellness services, while promoting green standards, digital technology application and professional human resources. She asked for shifting decisively from isolated promotion to destination connection, from passively awaiting events to proactively hosting them, and from merely organising events to building regional and international event brands.
The official also underlined the need to develop enterprises capable of participating more deeply in regional and global MICE tourism value chains.
Regarding Ho Chi Minh City, Tra urged the city to continue capitalising on its advantages as an international metropolis, a hub for global trade, and a tourism gateway. She suggested developing iconic and distinctive tourism products such as urban, cultural, historical, culinary, and shopping tourism, as well as community-based tourism.
In particular, she added, the city must maintain its pioneering role and strive to become a highly competitive regional hub for MICE tourism.
The rapidly changing MICE market is placing greater emphasis on experience, professionalism, technology, sustainability and social responsibility. Consequently, for the MICE tourism sector in both Ho Chi Minh City and Vietnam, growth can no longer be driven merely by increasing the number of events; instead, the focus must shift to enhancing the value of each event and the competitiveness of each destination.
Tran The Dung, General Director of Vietluxtour, said businesses need to build green supply chains and strengthen digitalisation to meet the requirements of large international groups.
Meanwhile, the Ho Chi Minh City Historical and Cultural Park is developing a digital database, maps and QR codes to improve visitors’ access to information about cultural and historical attractions.
Nguyen Loc Ha, Vice Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee, said MICE tourism development requires close cooperation among authorities, businesses, international organisations, airlines, accommodation providers and other service sectors.
The goal is to move beyond simply attracting events towards building a strong MICE tourism destination brand and strengthening Ho Chi Minh City’s position in regional and global MICE tourism networks, he added./.
