Opportunities for MICE tourism development
In 2024, welcoming more than 10.6 million visitors, including 4.5 million international visitors and achieving total tourism revenue of VND 52,300 billion, has demonstrated the attractiveness of Khanh Hoa tourism, affirming its position as one of the leading tourism destinations in the country. This success was built on the solid foundation of the traditional sea and island tourism model "3S" (sun, sea, sand). However, the "3S" model is based on sea and island resources similar to many other destinations in the region and the world . This leads to competition on price instead of value. In fact, although Khanh Hoa tourism attracts a large number of visitors, the spending level is not high, there is a lack of complementary products and services to retain and encourage visitors to open their wallets. To truly make a breakthrough and ensure sustainable tourism growth, it is necessary to exploit the potential and strengths of MICE tourism development.
The MICE segment has completely different characteristics. They are professionals and business people with longer stays and an average spending level many times higher than that of regular tourists. More importantly, MICE events can take place all year round, helping to overcome the inherent seasonality of resort tourism, filling up room and service capacity in the low season, creating a stable and sustainable revenue stream. The development of MICE not only brings direct economic benefits but also acts as a catalyst for the entire local economy. Because MICE tourism promotes the development of a high-end service supply chain, from logistics, technology, events, interpretation to cuisine and communications, creating jobs that require high skills.
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| MICE tourism activities at Champa Island Nha Trang Tourist Area. Photo: XUAN THANH |
At the same time, each international event successfully organized in Khanh Hoa will turn the delegates into “brand ambassadors”, contributing to promoting the image of a dynamic and professional destination and raising the position of Khanh Hoa on the regional and global event map. This orientation is completely consistent with the Vietnam Tourism Development Strategy to 2030 and is confirmed by the success of Ho Chi Minh City when it was honored as “Asia’s Leading MICE Destination” in 2021.
International experiences from leading MICE centers are valuable lessons for Khanh Hoa tourism. Singapore has become a tourism powerhouse by focusing on the high-end MICE segment, aiming to increase revenue to nearly 47 billion USD by 2040. The key to their success lies in creating a synchronous MICE ecosystem, with infrastructure, operational capacity, institutions and policies developed in parallel and supporting each other. Iconic projects such as Marina Bay Sands or Changi Airport not only invest in "hardware" but are also operated by professional human resources and supported by drastic policies from the Government in attracting international events. Similarly, Seoul City (Korea) with 10 consecutive years of being honored as "Best MICE City" has demonstrated the power of methodical strategies and comprehensive support programs such as "Plus 1 Seoul". Their success shows that a modern conference center cannot fully develop its value without a skilled staff and open, competitive policies and mechanisms.
Need to focus on 3 main pillars
To develop MICE tourism, Khanh Hoa needs a strategic roadmap built on three main pillars. First, on hard infrastructure, the physical foundation for all activities. The province needs to plan and call for investment in a large-scale, modern international convention and exhibition center that is competitive with other centers in the region. At the same time, upgrade Cam Ranh International Airport to open more direct flights connecting with global economic centers, complete Nha Trang port to welcome large cruise ships and solve traffic congestion in the inner city to ensure convenience and a classy experience for MICE groups.
Second, soft skills, including human resources and technology. The province needs to coordinate with training institutions to build a team of professional staff, proficient in event organization and good foreign language skills. At the same time, promoting digital transformation, applying artificial intelligence and smart event management platforms will help optimize the organization process and enhance customer experience. Pioneering in "green MICE" initiatives such as reducing plastic waste or using sustainable energy will also create a distinct competitive advantage, positioning Khanh Hoa as a civilized and responsible destination.
Finally, and most importantly, the institutional and facilitative role of the government. MICE requires a harmonious coordination between aviation, transportation, accommodation, trade and communication. Therefore, the “conductor” role of the local government is indispensable. The province must develop a long-term MICE strategy, establish a specialized promotion fund and issue incentive mechanisms attractive enough to attract international event organizers. The implementation of a “one-stop” mechanism to provide comprehensive support for procedures, security and logistics for major events, along with more open visa policies, will be the decisive lever for businesses to boldly invest in infrastructure and service development.
Transforming from the “3S” model to a large-scale MICE center is a challenging journey, requiring strategic vision, political determination and consensus from the entire political system, business community and people. This is an inevitable step for Khanh Hoa tourism to create a sustainable, quality development future and affirm its position in the international arena. Now is the golden time for the province to proactively create a new development chapter, towards more in-depth, quality and sustainable growth.
NGUYEN THANH HUNG
University of the Pacific
Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/du-lich/202508/xay-dung-khanh-hoa-thanh-trung-tam-su-kien-quoc-te-02d6e25/
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