The globally complicated Covid-19 pandemic has forced Viet Nam to remain shut to foreign tourists. As a result, like other Vietnamese localities, Da Nang is doubling down on its efforts in attracting domestic tourists the more the better during 2021, with importance attached to lure those on M.I.C.E (Meetings-Incentives-Conferences-Exhibitions) trips to Da Nang. The municipal government has approved supporting policies to attract M.I.C.E delegations to Da Nang in 2021, with the aim of developing MICE tourism into the core and special part of the hospitality industry, hereby creating a competitive advantage for Da Nang’s development strides in the future.

The city's supportive policies help connect sustainable M.I.C.E tourism developers. Tourists arrive at the Da Nang International Airport.

Deputy Director of Da Nang Department of Tourism Nguyen Xuan Binh has revealed the city’s long-term and sustainable M.I.C.E tourism development plans.

In detail, piloted policies to support the first 100 M.I.C.E delegations to Da Nang have taken into effect since February 2021. These policies were introduced in recent campaign to stimulate travel demand, targeting M.I.C.E travellers.

The total cost of supporting the first 100 M.I.C.E delegations to Da Nang this year is expected to be about 300 million VND funded by the local tourism development budget.

Under the piloted policies, for delegations of 1,000 - 2,000 people or more, Da Nang leaders will in person attend welcome ceremonies or send greeeting letters. Also, a vehicle will be offered for guiding delegations.

As for delegations of 500 -999 visitors, representatives of the municipal Department of Tourism will welcome visitors at the Da Nang International Airport and present bouquets to delegation leaders.

With regard to delegations of 100 - 499 clients, the leaders of the municipal Tourism Promotion Centre will be in charge of welcoming and presenting flowers to delegation leaders at the airport.

Besides, there are a wide range of support policies in terms of media services such as posting news on M.I.C.E delegations in Da Nang-based newspapers, TV channels, Danang Fantasticity’s websites, and social media channels,10 - 40% discounts on facilities for using meeting rooms and halls, along with accommodation rates, sound, and lighting services at M.I.C.E venues.

Also, M.I.C.E delegations will enjoy exemption and reduction of entrance fees at popular local tourist sites, reductions of transportation costs, and flexible air ticket change and refund policies. 

The M.I.C.E market is showing signs of rebounding. In the first months of 2021, Da Nang has continuously welcomed M.I.C.E delegations such as a group of nearly 1,000 guests operated by the Saigontourist Travel Service Company, and a group of 700 visitors from R&B Viet Nam Co., Ltd in January.

M.I.C.E shows itself as a specific and unique form of group tourism where tourists attend various business events and leisure gatherings in their professional or individual capacity. The majority of M.I.C.E tour bookers are businesspeople who want to combine organising conferences or seminars with travelling. Based on these facts, it can bring in much higher revenue for Da Nang than the other types of tourism because it attracts a large number of high-spending travellers, said local tourism experts.

Although M.I.C.E tourism has more specific requirements and higher standards, it also brings about higher revenue, 4 - 5 times higher than other common kinds of tourism. Thus, promoting this emerging type of tourism has become a top priority for many travel agents.

In reality, Da Nang now boasts a spacious, synchronous and modern infrastructure system with a large international seaport and an airport.

Da Nang is now home to 212 3-5 star serviced accommodation establishments with a combined total of 26,050 rooms, accounting for 59% of the total rooms.

There are many international standard venues fully capably of hosting major international events such as InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, Ariyana Convention Centre, Sheraton Grand Danang Resort, Vinpearl, Crowne Plaza, and Pullman.

In particular, the municipal Department of Tourism is building up a website to provide all information on M.I.C.E tourism. In the future, this new website will be developed into a communication channel specialising in this lucrative tourism segment in Da Nang. At the same time, the use of digital advertising will help to promote coordination amongst M.I.C.E service providers.

Also, a specialised local agency exclusively for M.I.C.E tourism and more high-quality products will also make their debuts.

In addition, in the coming time, Da Nang tourism sector will show its more interest in developing the M.I.C.E ecosystem, with a focus on supporting the development of M.I.CE service providers in terms of their size and capacity,

Under Da Nang administration-adopted plans for developing M.I.C.E tourism by 2025, with a vision to 2030, priority will be given to setting out specific strategic development strategies on preferential policies, interdisciplinary coordination mechanisms, financial preparations  for the management and promotion of M.I.C.E tourism.

By THU HA – Translated by A.T