Vietnam to See a Boom in MICE after Asian Tsunami

Vietnam to See a Boom in MICE after Asian Tsunami

Influx of travelers from the MICE sector (Meeting, Incentive, Convention, Exhibition) is expected to come to Vietnam as the tsunami cleanup begins in affected countries.

Experts suggest that a significant proportion of the 56 million international tourists expected to flock to ASEAN region in 2005 (large proportion of those will be from the MICE sector), will turn to the communist country after the disaster.

If only 0.1 per cent of the total choose Vietnam as a destination for MICE, the country’s revenue from the hospitality sector will completely change, experts said.

Local travel companies revealed that since 2004 the market in Vietnam has seen optimistic signals and promised big revenue this year.

Nguyen Dinh Tuan, Marketing Director of the luxury Furama resort, revealed that around 100 MICE providers in North America, Europe and Asia including the world’s leader German T.U.I company, are eyeing the market in Vietnam.

Other markets are also showing interest in Vietnam, as "usually, northern and eastern Europeans flock to Phuket, Thailand, during this time of the year, but since the sea wave happened, it is likely that many tourists will cancel their Thailand tours and head to Vietnam," said an official from Saigontourist.

Saigontourist affiliated companies have already started receiving several bookings from northern European tourists in the past few days, he added.

Other tourism companies such as Vietravel, Fiditour, Tan Hong are also pursuing post-tsunami plans.

Ho Chi Minh City-based tour operator Vietravel will launch an advertising campaign in the European market this month, said Nguyen Quoc Ky, its general director.

Mr. Ky also emphasizes the need for Vietnam’s entire tourism industry to join efforts and have well-prepared plans to reach the particular European market.

"Well-prepared plans would help Vietnam tourism leave a good impression on tourists and attain its target of 3.2 million foreign arrivals in 2005," he said.

In spite of it all, a good start in to the year seems to be already happening for the tourism industry.

In 2004, Vietnam welcomed 2.92 million foreigners, earning VND27 trillion (US$1.71 billion).

• (Pioneer, thanhniennews)