Ho Chi Minh City: Asia's rising star for MICE tourism in 2025. - Collected

MICE tourism represents a continuously expanding segment globally, attracting high-spending visitors eager to combine their professional commitments with leisure opportunities. This sector plays a crucial role in the economic development of destinations, stimulating job creation and investment in infrastructure.
Vietnam is increasingly recognized as a dynamic MICE destination in Southeast Asia. The country offers a unique blend of culture, nature, and modern infrastructure, with cities like Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Da Nang having the necessary capacities to host international events. Its attractiveness is enhanced by its competitiveness in terms of pricing and the richness of its experiences.
By positioning itself as a leading MICE destination, with the support and direction of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT), Ho Chi Minh City aims to exploit this lucrative market, generating significant economic benefits and strengthening its global reputation as a hub of excellence for business events.

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Vietnam is increasingly recognized as a dynamic and attractive MICE destination in Southeast Asia, offering a unique mix of culture, nature, and modern infrastructure. The major cities mentioned above have the infrastructure and experience needed to host large-scale international events. Vietnam's price competitiveness compared to other regional destinations also makes it an appealing option for MICE organizers. Vietnam's appeal as a MICE destination is reinforced by its affordability and the unique experiences it offers, combining business with the opportunity to explore its rich cultural heritage and diverse landscapes. Vietnam's cost-effectiveness, combined with its distinctive cultural and natural attractions (and its cuisine!), provides an attractive value proposition for MICE organizers looking for a destination that offers both quality and affordability.

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Ho Chi Minh City - Enjoying a city tour - VNAT

Ho Chi Minh City has strategically identified MICE tourism as a key driver for the growth of its tourism sector by 2025, aligning with Vietnam's overall economic and tourism development strategy. The city leverages its existing strengths in infrastructure, hospitality, and business environment to establish itself as a leading MICE tourism hub in the Asia-Pacific region. Formerly known as Saigon, the city aims to welcome 8.5 million international visitors by 2025, with MICE tourism playing a central role in achieving this goal. Ho Chi Minh City's proactive orientation towards MICE tourism in 2025, supported by clear objectives and strategic initiatives, positions it as an important emerging player with the potential to become a global leader in the MICE industry. By setting ambitious goals and implementing targeted strategies, Ho Chi Minh City demonstrates its commitment and potential to compete with long-established MICE destinations.

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Ho Chi Minh City has received recognition and numerous awards as a leading MICE destination, thus strengthening its status.
In 2021, the city was awarded the title of Asia's Best MICE Tourism Destination, surpassing major competitors like Bangkok, Hong Kong, and Singapore. In 2023, it was voted Asia's Leading MICE Destination for the 4th consecutive year at the World MICE Awards. In 2024, it won three key categories at the World MICE Awards ceremony: Best MICE Destination in Asia (for the fifth consecutive year), Best Incentive Destination in Asia, and ITE HCMC as Best Professional Trade Show in Asia. The city has also been recognized at international travel fairs and conferences, enhancing its global reputation as a hub for business travel. The consistent win of prestigious international awards, especially the title of "Asia's top MICE tourism destination" for several years, serves as a strong endorsement of the quality and attractiveness of Ho Chi Minh City as a MICE destination, enhancing its global reputation and credibility. These awards not only validate the city's existing MICE infrastructure and services but also serve as powerful marketing tools, attracting more international event organizers and delegates looking for proven excellence and reliability.
The city has also successfully hosted several recent MICE events, with more planned for 2025.

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JW Marriott Hotel - Grand Ballroom Banquet - Internet

This recognition underscores the exceptional quality of the city's infrastructure, which includes:

The inauguration of the new T3 terminal in April 2025 significantly increased the airport's capacity, thereby enhancing accessibility for MICE travelers.
Ho Chi Minh City is also valued for its rich historical and cultural heritage, diversity, and urban dynamism, making it an attractive destination not only for business but also for leisure tourism associated with MICE events.
 

Exploring Cu Chi Tunnels - Mr Linh's Adventures

While the bustling southern metropolis is internationally renowned for its business, the city also offers a unique blend of culture, leisure, and discovery that complements its appeal as a MICE destination. Among the points of interest are:

The city also offers a variety of team-building and leisure activities, ranging from exploring the Mekong Delta to world-class golf courses.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism is resolutely implementing a dedicated policy for the development of a particularly ambitious MICE tourism program. This project is characterized by the desire to innovate in creating tourist products specifically tailored to the needs of MICE groups, while simplifying all administrative procedures to facilitate event organization. In addition, attractive incentives are offered to organizers to stimulate their interest, and sustained work is being done to enhance both communication and promotion of all tourism activities offered.

MICE offerings in Ho Chi Minh City stand out for personalized packages that skillfully blend team-building, cultural immersion, and networking, while placing particular importance on service quality and adherence to sustainability principles. Digital modernization facilitates event planning and management, transforming each meeting into a seamless and innovative experience. Additionally, VNAT warmly encourages organizers to leverage the city's many strengths, encouraging them to integrate authentic local experiences to enrich each event.
 

Promoting Vietnam Tourism - Mr Linh's Adventures

VNAT strongly encourages organizers to fully utilize the city's modern infrastructure and professional services to ensure the success of their events. It also encourages them to incorporate local cultural and tourist activities to enhance participants' experience while ensuring compliance with sustainability and social responsibility standards. Furthermore, it recommends collaborating with local agencies specialized in MICE, providing comprehensive support on logistical, administrative, and cultural aspects. To facilitate the arrival of international delegations, it is also advised to check visa requirements and consider the prevailing health conditions. Beyond organizing professional events, VNAT emphasizes the importance of diversifying the city's tourism offerings, encouraging visitors to extend their stay to fully explore the cultural and leisure riches that Ho Chi Minh City has to offer.

Without a doubt, Ho Chi Minh City stands out as a must-visit MICE destination for 2025. The city enjoys international recognition supported by top-notch infrastructure, providing a solid foundation for hosting high-level events. The "bleisure" offering, skillfully blending business and leisure, perfectly illustrates the adaptability and modernity of the city, while its improved accessibility invites visitors from around the globe. Moreover, the consistent commitment to sustainable development and active support from tourism authorities enhance the city's attractiveness and credibility in the global market. Thus, with these numerous strengths, Ho Chi Minh City is gradually asserting itself as a leading MICE destination in Asia, heralding a promising future on the international stage.