According to major travel companies, the number of visitors has increased by 20-60 percent of MICE tourists compared to last year.

Saigontourist alone received 8,600 MICE tourists in the first seven months of the year, an increase of more than 50 percent over last year. Fiditour also saw an increase of 26 percent, receiving more than 8,000 MICE tourists from several markets, including Japan, France and the US. Viettravel welcomed more than 150 MICE groups this year of 80-100 tourists each.

MICE tourists often use high quality services and have large expense accounts.

To compete with neighbouring countries for more tourists, the tourism sector needs to create products that highlight the country’s specific characteristics and improve the quality of tours, hotels and entertainment services.

Le Hoang Yen, director of CITE said that the National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) should create more programmes to promote MICE tourism and set up a separate budget and professional team.