A group of nearly a thousand MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourists from Indonesia are obsessed with durian.

Approximately 900 MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourists from Indonesia are arriving in Ho Chi Minh City in multiple waves and visiting destinations in the Mekong Delta such as My Tho. According to Mr. Tran Xuan Hung, General Director of Viking, on the afternoon of May 7 alone, about 260 tourists went to My Tho (Dong Thap province) to experience river tourism.

Báo Thanh niên•08/05/2026

Tourists enjoy the waterways of the Mekong Delta.

On May 7th, at the My Tho port area, local authorities organized a welcoming ceremony for the delegation with lion dances, gifts, and cultural exchanges. Mr. Hung considered this a positive sign because previously, there hadn't been many Indonesian tourists visiting My Tho, especially large groups. This could be considered the first large group to experience the Mekong Delta.

According to Mr. Hung, Indonesian tourists share many similarities with Vietnamese people in terms of riverine culture, as Indonesia also has regions like Kalimantan. However, when visiting the Mekong Delta, tourists still enjoy the experience on the Mekong River, the rural life, and the friendliness of the local people.

In particular, many tourists expressed their delight with Vietnamese fruits, especially durian. "Indonesian tourists are very fond of durian. The price of durian in Vietnam is only about 50,000 VND/kg, so they find it very cheap; some tourists even buy up to a million VND worth," Mr. Hung said.

Upon boarding a boat for a Mekong River tour, each visitor is offered fresh coconut water and listens to a guide introduce the Mekong Delta, the lives of the people in the Western region, stories of the river and local culture. Besides experiencing the orchards, Indonesian visitors also enjoy activities such as boat trips, cycling, horse-drawn carriage rides, and visiting coconut candy factories...

After returning to Ho Chi Minh City, the group continued shopping at Ben Thanh Market and Saigon Square, and enjoyed Vietnamese cuisine .

Đoàn gần ngàn khách MICE từ Indonesia mê sầu riêng- Ảnh 1. — Indonesian tourists enjoyed taking photos next to the Maitreya Buddha statue during their visit to My Tho, Tien Giang on May 7th.

Đoàn gần ngàn khách MICE từ Indonesia mê sầu riêng- Ảnh 2. — Tourists buy specialties from the Mekong Delta such as coconut candy and traditional cakes after their tour of the orchards.

Đoàn gần ngàn khách MICE từ Indonesia mê sầu riêng- Ảnh 3. — A tourist enjoys the experience of taking photos with pythons at an ecotourism site in My Tho.

Đoàn gần ngàn khách MICE từ Indonesia mê sầu riêng- Ảnh 4. — Paddling canoes on the coconut-lined canals is a favorite experience for many international tourists visiting the Mekong Delta.

Vietnam has a significant advantage when it comes to attracting Indonesian tourists.

According to Mr. Tran Xuan Hung, Indonesia is a very promising market with a population of over 280 million people, a rapidly growing middle class, and an increasing demand for overseas travel. Vietnam has many advantages in attracting tourists from this market, such as short flight distances, convenient routes, reasonable prices, and cultural similarities.

The most popular destinations for Indonesian tourists currently remain Hanoi , Sa Pa, Da Nang, Hoi An, Hue, and Phu Quoc. However, one of the major challenges is the shortage of Indonesian-speaking tour guides. For this particular group, the company had to employ approximately 15 Indonesian-speaking guides who not only knew the language but also held tour guide licenses, understood Indonesian culture, and knew how to create a pleasant atmosphere for the group.

Đoàn gần ngàn khách MICE từ Indonesia mê sầu riêng- Ảnh 5. — Tourists were touched by the warm welcome they received from the locals.

Đoàn gần ngàn khách MICE từ Indonesia mê sầu riêng- Ảnh 6. — Guests happily drink fresh coconut water and admire the Mekong River.

Mr. Hung believes that Indonesia will be a noteworthy international tourist market for Vietnam in the coming time, especially as Vietnam increasingly offers new tourism products, improved infrastructure, and large-scale projects. "I highly appreciate the role of large corporations in developing Vietnamese tourism. Without Fansipan, Sa Pa would struggle to develop strongly; without Ba Na Hills, Da Nang would lack its current appeal; and Phu Quoc would struggle to achieve breakthroughs without major projects," Mr. Hung said.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/doan-gan-ngan-khach-mice-tu-indonesia-me-sau-rieng-185260508111503725.htm