Foreign tourists at a market in Ho Chi Minh City (Photo: VNA)




HCM City (VNA) – Experts from
travel and hotel industry gathered to discuss the development of MICE (Meeting,
Incentive, Conference and Event) tourism in Ho Chi Minh City on September 6.



According to statistics from McKinsey
consulting group, 17 percent of visitors to HCM City came here for working
purposes, higher than the region’s average figure of 14-15 percent.



In the first six months of 2017, the
southern economic hub welcomed 2.7 million foreign visitors, up 14 percent
compared to the same period last year.



Ben Wieglus from Informa Singapore, an
exhibition and event organisation company, said MICE industry brings added value
to socio-economic and cultural development, but can leave negative impacts on
natural resources, which require further research into how to mitigate the
impacts.



He suggested HCM City focus on highlighting
its unique features on food, culture, and festivals, and advised local
enterprises to enhance international partnerships.



At the conference, participants said HCM
City should improve traffic conditions to facilitate tourists’ travel around
the city, particularly using buses or river buses.



Nguyen Quy Phuong, head of the Travel
Department under the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, the Vietnamese
Government has been supporting tourism growth via intensive promotion.



HCM City has made MICE tourism one of the
main tourist products and aims to become a new MICE hub in Southeast Asia,
Phuong noted.-VNA