Tuan made the assessment during a talk themed "MICE tourism - trends and opportunities" organized by the Vietnam MICE Tourism Club in Hanoi on September 14.

However, there is currently no separate policy for MICE tourism in Vietnam like in other countries and there is a general lack of market research on MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and events) tourism, he said, adding that the type of tourism is anticipated to bring numerous benefits to industry as a whole if proper attention has been paid.

Dr. Tuan went on to point out that a number of challenges faced by MICE tourism such as a lack of synchronous policies and strategies for this field.

Despite investment having been poured into improving MICE infrastructure in some destinations, it cannot fully meet the increasing demand. In fact, Hanoi still lacks world-class event centres.

Moreover, the tourism workforce for MICE tourism is currently facing numerous difficulties in the post-COVID period as a result of the shortage of skilled workers.

Amid challenges, experts have expressed their belief that MICE tourism in the nation will continue to enjoy robust growth and ultimately become the driving force for the country’s tourism recovery in the post-COVID period.

Do Van Thuc, deputy director of Dat Viet Tour, revealed that MICE infrastructure in the nation can be fully capable of competing with destinations such as Bali or Bangkok, while tourism services in the country are equivalent to that of the regional peers. Most notably, several MICE destinations in the country are bigger, more beautiful, and modern, Thuc noted.

Nguyen Duc Anh, chairman of Vietnam MICE Tourism Club, underscored the importance of the development of technology, which is expected to provide fresh impetus for MICE tourism and facilitate the organisation of team building, music, or sports events moving forward.

The talk has been held as part of the MICE Expo 2023, which has attracted the participation of a number of local businesses and service providers across the country, with the ultimate aim to strengthen connectivity and co-operation to seek ways to promote MICE tourism in Vietnam moving forward.