The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) and PATA Vietnam Chapter are jointly conducting the first survey on MICE tourism industry (Meetings, Incentives, Conventions & Events/Exhibitions) in Vietnam in an effort to further develop the industry.
The survey focuses on getting information about MICE development such as income from MICE visitors, source markets, companies' policy to develop guests, obstacles to MICE development, and proposals for policies and methods to develop MICE in Vietnam.
“We are sending questionnaires to travel firms, hotels and tourism administrations across the country to collect information,” a tourism official said, revealing that the survey will be completed later this month.
In recent years, MICE organizers have seen Vietnam as an emerging destination. Travel firms and hotels in the country have reported a good number of guests but they have also complained about problems facing MICE development.
Worse still, MICE facilities are still under construction, so it is difficult to handle thousands of MICE guests. Besides, the country lacks marketing and promotion plans for this potential sector.
The shortage of database about the situation of MICE is also a matter of special concern, the official admitted, revealing that until now, all figures about MICE have been rough estimates, so it is impossible to make a plan for development of this industry.
The authority will ask for help from international tourism organizations like the World Tourism Organization (WTO) and the Pacific Asia Travel Association (PATA) to develop Vietnam's MICE industry together with devising a marketing plan for this potential tourism segment early next year after getting enough data, the official noted.
Recently, the number of MICE tourists to the country has risen steadily, with annual increase over 20 per cent in 2006, said MICE club leaders.
Good venues for MICE tourism include Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, the central coastal Nha Trang city and the central region. (VietNamNet, SGT)
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