Expanding air links a key driver that places Vietnam within easier reach of India’s corporate and incentive travellers. Photo Credit: AdobeStock/Atstock Productions
India is moving up Vietnam’s MICE agenda following a series of government, airline and travel-trade developments that are strengthening business and tourism flows between the two markets.
At the 20th Ho Chi Minh City International Travel Expo (ITE HCMC 2026) held from 27 to 29 August, Nguyễn Cẩm Tú, director of the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Promotion Centre, pointed to early signs that these links could translate into larger group business. She said major Indian travel companies participated in ITE HCMC, with a leading managed travel and MICE player considering bringing groups of 800 to 1,000 travellers to Vietnam.
The comes amid a massive growth in overall Indian arrivals to Vietnam. The country received more than 612,000 Indian visitors in the first eight months of 2026, which is approximately six times its full-year Indian arrivals in 2019, according to Vietnam National Authority of Tourism.
The relationship gained further momentum during Vietnamese President Tô Lâm’s state visit to India in May. The two countries upgraded their ties and set a target of US$25 billion in bilateral trade by 2030, potentially generating additional demand for meetings and corporate travel.
Among the 13 agreements exchanged were a tourism-cooperation pact, formal links between Ho Chi Minh City and Mumbai, and an agreement to work towards cross-border QR payment connectivity.
Air access is also expanding. Air India began five weekly Delhi–Hanoi services in May, making Hanoi its second Vietnamese gateway after Ho Chi Minh City. IndiGo will add daily Mumbai–Hanoi flights from 25 October.
Distribution and venue access are strengthening alongside connectivity. Thomas Cook India and SOTC Travel signed a long-term agreement with Vinpearl in May, giving them priority availability across a portfolio that includes more than 17,300 hotel rooms and three convention centres.
Vietnam has already hosted several Indian corporate programmes. Kobelco Construction Equipment India held its 2026 dealer conference in Hanoi, while Vietravel DMC received a 200-delegate Sony India group in Da Nang in July.
Indian participation is also extending into trade events. Delegations organised by Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry and the Confederation of Indian Industry attended HawaExpo and Vietnam Expo 2026, broadening the corridor beyond incentive travel into exhibitions and business networking.