| MICE tours open opportunities for tourism sector |
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| Written by vivian | |
| Sunday, 17 August 2008 | |
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MICE tours (which combine travelling
with attending meetings, conferences or events/exhibitions) are booming
in the country, and have emerged as a lucrative business for the
tourism sector. According to travel companies specialising
in MICE, the number of MICE tourists in the first half of this year is
increased by an estimated 30 percent year-on-year, with Hanoi , Ho Chi
Minh City and major tourist centres such as Nha Trang and Ha Long the
most popular destinations.
Doan Thanh Tra, head of the
marketing section of Saigontourist, said that her company welcomed more
than 18,000 MICE tourists in the first half of this year, with half of
them being foreigners.
The Tan Dinh travel joint stock company (Fiditour) has constantly received orders from domestic groups and companies for MICE tours for groups of 100-200 people each. In 2007, MICE tourists represented 20 percent of Fiditour’s customers. Vietravel company in the first seven months of this year organised MICE tours for 350 domestic tourist groups with a total of more than 20,000 people. In addition to popular domestic tourist attractions, Vietnamese major companies have shown greater interest in new destinations in ASEAN, European and south Asian countries. Hoan My Tourist Service Co. Ltd (Perfect Tour) said in the first five months of this year, the number of travellers to the US tripled over the same period last year, with at least three small MICE tourist groups each month. Foreign MICE tourists to Vietnam are also increasing. General Director of Caravell Hotel Stephen O’Grady said that Vietnam currently has great advantages of new and friendly destinations, and the improved quality of services and infrastructure. Almost all MICE tourists are businesspeople and many of them have returned to the country for business purpose, said an expert in this kind of tourism of Ben Thanh Tourist. To facilitate MICE development, experts said, Vietnam should establish an organisation for promotion of MICE tours while continuing to upgrade infrastructure facilities, including airports, hotels, and convention centres, work out an advertisement strategy and train personnel for this new kind of tourism. (Source: VNA) |
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