What does Ho Chi Minh City have to offer for groups of tourists who "travel in large numbers and spend a lot"?

Ho Chi Minh City places its hopes on MICE tourism as a new growth driver, elevating the city's status as an international destination. This is based on its existing infrastructure, policies, and diverse tourism ecosystem.

A group of Indian tourists strolling through the center of Ho Chi Minh City in January 2024. Photo: Linh Huynh .

Ho Chi Minh City welcomed a MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) delegation of 890 members from Indonesia in early May. Over four days and three nights, the delegation visited many of the city's iconic destinations, with a program combining group activities, relaxation, cultural experiences, and exploration of the Mekong Delta.

According to the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism , this event demonstrates the initial effectiveness of the stimulus policy, as the city is the first locality in the country to issue a policy supporting the development of MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) tourism according to Resolution No. 62/2025/NQ-HĐND.

Previously, in 2024, Ho Chi Minh City was honored as "Asia's Leading MICE Tourism Destination" at the World MICE Awards. This was the fifth consecutive time Ho Chi Minh City won in this category, demonstrating the city's attractiveness due to its combination of modern infrastructure and rich culture, making it an ideal destination for international MICE tourism events.

At a press conference providing information on socio -economic issues in the city on May 28th, Mr. Le Truong Hien Hoa, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, stated that MICE tourism has been identified as a strength of the "megacity" Ho Chi Minh City , and is also one of the "spearheads" of the tourism industry in the coming period.

Portrait of a MICE guest

By 2025, Ho Chi Minh City is expected to welcome approximately 8.5 million international visitors, of which MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) visitors will reach around 1.7-2.5 million, accounting for about 20-30%.

According to Mr. Hien Hoa, MICE tourists are positioned as a high-value economic group and play a leading role in Ho Chi Minh City's tourism industry . The impact of this group is clearly evident in two aspects.

• Firstly , they exhibit superior spending levels and a tendency towards longer stays. This group of tourists also utilizes a comprehensive range of high-end services, from 4-5 star accommodations and international-standard convention centers to luxury transportation and other premium services. They often extend their stay before or after the main event for relaxation, sightseeing, and experiences.
• Secondly , there is a strong spillover effect on the urban economy. The value of MICE tourism creates a multiplier effect, stimulating the development of aviation, trade, retail, transportation, event organization, media, and investment promotion.

Indonesian MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourists visit downtown Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism.

For Ho Chi Minh City, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) visitors play a direct marketing role, helping to enhance the destination's image, promote trade connections, and attract investment . The city's urban governance capacity, safe business environment, and high-class infrastructure and services are affirmed when a large-scale international event is successful.

"Ho Chi Minh City is focusing on optimizing the quality of tourists, prioritizing attracting high-spending segments with longer stays and creating significant added value for the city's economy," he said.

Potential

Dr. Justin Matthew Pang, Senior Head of the Tourism and Hospitality Management Department (RMIT University), points out that in the context of Vietnam becoming a popular business and leisure destination in the Asia-Pacific region, MICE tourism has good growth potential, especially in Ho Chi Minh City.

Two female international tourists are filming a timelapse video on Nguyen Hue pedestrian street in April 2025. Photo: Linh Huynh .

Beyond economic benefits, MICE tourism can significantly stimulate international visitor demand, boost destination awareness, and encourage repeat visits.

However, the MICE market is currently mainly attracting Chinese, Korean, and Japanese tourists. Looking further ahead, Ho Chi Minh City should aim to become the MICE destination of South Asia, like India, Pakistan, and Sri Lanka ... These countries have strong growth markets and developed economies, leading to greater spending power.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism also affirmed that the growth potential of MICE tourism in the locality is currently very large, guaranteed by many factors.

• A solid infrastructure foundation and outstanding destination capabilities, including the country's largest airport gateway, a network of high-end hotels, large-scale convention and exhibition centers, and professional international event organizing capabilities.
• The MICE tourism ecosystem offers diverse experiences, keeping pace with global trends . Going beyond mere conferences, Ho Chi Minh City is optimizing its supply chain to harmoniously combine exhibitions, resorts, culture, unique cuisine, waterway tourism, and modern urban experiences.
• Pioneering breakthroughs in mechanisms and policies supporting MICE tourism through Resolution No. 62/2025/NQ-HĐND. This is a strategic step aimed at further motivating businesses to boldly attract large-scale groups, extend their length of stay, and stimulate tourist spending. Through this, the policy is expected to boost related industries such as accommodation, transportation, event organization, and the night-time economy.
• The goal is to become Ho Chi Minh City's MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism hub . This will attract traditional conference groups, accelerate investment in the development of large-scale international events, international trade exhibitions, major cultural and sporting events, and global business networking activities.

International tourists visit and experience the cuisine in Ho Chi Minh City. Photo: Linh Huynh.

According to Mr. Hien Hoa, if Ho Chi Minh City continues to improve infrastructure, optimize organizational capacity, enhance the destination experience, and effectively implement the levers from the Resolution, it will have the capacity to compete fairly with leading MICE tourism centers in the region such as Singapore, Bangkok (Thailand), or Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), becoming a dynamic MICE tourism destination.

Furthermore, the Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism also stated that Ho Chi Minh City's core competitive advantages are shaped by four strategic pillars , including being a hub for trade and capital flow connectivity; a rich and vibrant urban experience ecosystem; optimized costs and enhanced service delivery capabilities; and pioneering support policies.

"The ultimate goal is to gradually and firmly establish Ho Chi Minh City as a MICE tourism hub, positioning it as an unmissable destination in Asia," he emphasized.

Source: https://znews.vn/tphcm-co-gi-cho-nhom-du-khach-di-dong-chi-nhieu-post1655189.html