For Vietnam, MICE fortunes on the rise

Vietnam has a lot going for it. The country boasts an enviably strong economy with GDP that grew an estimated 7.5% in 2022, with tourism and manufacturing making good showings.

It has a variety of attractive destinations and a rapidly growing inventory of hotels and attractions. Domestic and foreign investors continue to pour money into projects. Domestic trade has shown a marked upturn, yet as an international MICE destination, Vietnam often gets overlooked 

Opportunities for mid-sized events

The vast majority of international tourist arrivals in Vietnam head for Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Danang, Halong Bay and Phu Quoc, but other visitor-friendly destinations could fill the demand for mid-sized events. In central Vietnam for example, Angsana in Lang Co and the brand-new Hoiana complex outside of Hoi An are both examples of facilities that are served by international airports. 

“After Vietnam reopened to international travel, it took a few months for event organisers to monitor the situation and gain confidence,” says Glen Cook, area general manager of Laguna Lang Co (which includes Angsana) and AVP hotel operations, Vietnam at Banyan Tree Hotels and Resorts. “We started welcoming the first international groups from short-haul markets that had resumed flight connections.”

But Cook points out that the small number of flights will continue to limit business. The first market to return when flights resumed in 2022 was Singapore, followed by South Korea and Taiwan as those routes were restored.

A seaside town like Nha Trang, serviced by Cam Ranh International Airport and its capacity for numerous international connections, has huge potential for incentive and smaller events. 

A group like Sovico Holdings, which owns low-cost airline VietJet Air and whose hospitality portfolio includes the Ariyana and L’Alya in nearby Ninh Van Bay, is one player that would like to find synergies to build that market. With beaches, attractions and a modern international airport in Cam Ranh that pre-pandemic had dozens of international flights to China and Russia, look for Nha Trang to make its way back onto the MICE map as well.

In the bustling city of Ho Chi Minh City, The Reverie Saigon boasts one of the city’s most opulent ballrooms while old-school Caravelle Saigon is a perennial favourite from its rooftop to its meeting rooms. A Marriott property like the Renaissance Riverside Saigon is wooing groups with its atypical Atrium space surrounded by guest rooms and with its meeting rooms with river views.

“We expect that the second half of 2023 will show a good sign of recovery in international MICE,” says Goetz Bauer, cluster general manager of Vinpearl Landmark 81, Autograph Collection, located in the tallest building in Vietnam. “Hopefully by the end of 2023 we will see business back to pre-pandemic levels.”

Still room for bigger events

By far, the biggest challenge for Vietnam’s business events industry is the lack of a high-capacity world-class exhibition venue. Public venues like the National Convention Center of Vietnam in Hanoi and the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center, the country’s largest, don’t even come close to the capacity available in other countries. “Vietnam’s easily one of the most under-served exhibition markets in Asia,” commented one MICE expert.

One industry professional pointed out that a national convention bureau like Thailand Convention and Exhibition Bureau would facilitate events for organisers and exhibitors in Vietnam.

Despite the challenges the sector currently faces, there are reasons to be optimistic. Many of the buyers at the 2022 ITE HCMC were from India, an important source market for MICE. “That did lead to some business,” according to a hotel general manager.

There is one obvious reason to be optimistic: the importance of human contact when doing business. “There is a huge hunger for in-person meetings,” says Vinpearl’s Bauer. “People want to mingle and connect face to face.”

Where to meet in Vietnam

HO CHI MINH CITY
Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center, the country’s premier venue, boasts two 9,000sqm exhibition spaces. It hosts the Vietnam Motor Show and the International Travel Expo Ho Chi Minh City (ITE HCMC), both of which are the country’s largest shows in their respective sectors.

The stylish GEM Center has a total of nearly 10,000sqm across several floors, the largest of which are two 1,800-capacity ballrooms. The large spaces are used for exhibitions and product launches, but GEM also offers unique locations like the rooftop bar area.

Landmark 81 is Ho Chi Minh City’s most distinctive skyscraper and contains the Vinpearl Landmark 81, a Marriott Autograph Collection property. The hotel offers seven meeting spaces from the intimate, dramatic boardroom Sky Studio on the 69th floor to a Grand Ballroom with a capacity of 1,500 people.

NHA TRANG
The Ariyana SmartCondotel Nha Trang is a popular choice for domestic corporate events, with its largest space able to hold up to 160 people. Its nearby sister property L’Alya Ninh Van Bay with its boardroom-type facilities and all-villa accommodations is better suited to smaller, more exclusive gatherings. 

HOI AN
The integrated resort of Hoiana offers a variety of hospitality options managed by Rosewood including its first Khos lifestyle brand hotel in Southeast Asia. The 515sqm Grand Hall can host 420 people under its 9m-high ceiling, whilst the Green House can accommodate smaller meeting up to 132 standing guests.

Angsana Lang Co has a ballroom that can host up to 600 guests while an outdoor dining space offers views of the sea. With the adjacent golf course and excursions to the historic Hue, the resort is popular for incentive and teambuilding events.

HANOI
As the largest facility in Hanoi, Vietnam National Convention Center has 15,000sqm of meeting and exhibition space, the largest of which is 4,000sqm with a capacity of 3,500 people. Set in a 9.4ha park, the distinctive building sports a wavy roof inspired by the waters of Halong Bay.