Along with promotional activities, in the last months of the year, tourism service businesses create many events to serve tourists, focusing on exploiting the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourist market. Da Nang is considered one of the localities with very good incentive policies for this tourist market.

International tourists visit the Marble Mountains special national monument. Photo: THU HA

One of the biggest advantages in exploiting MICE tourists that is highly appreciated by travel businesses and tourism service businesses is that Da Nang is implementing a programme to promote attracting MICE tourists to Da Nang in 2024. Specific support and incentive policies have helped businesses attract MICE tourists more easily.

As one of the businesses that exploit the MICE tourist market very well, the leader of the Indochina Unique Tourist Co., Ltd remarked that Da Nang is one of the pioneering localities in developing policies for MICE tourism. The city's MICE policy is very clear, timely and practical for businesses. The concretisation of business benefits in developing MICE tourism is the highlight, helping businesses effectively exploit this source of customers as well as create a big brand in this type of tourism.

As reported by the Da Nang Tourism Promotion Centre, in the first nine months of 2024, the city welcomed 154 MICE delegations with a total of 53,313 visitors, comprising of 26,577 domestic visitors and 26,736 foreign ones. In addition to activities attracting MICE tourists from potential markets, the city’s tourism industry also strives to create events to narrow the gap in the low tourist season.

According to Chairman of the Da Nang Tourism Association Cao Tri Dung, currently, international tourist markets to Da Nang are quite diverse. In addition to traditional markets from Northeast Asia such as South Korea, Japan and China, and Southeast Asia, businesses are also focusing on exploiting more distant markets from Europe, Australia, and the United States.

For the European, Australian, and US markets, the peak season for visitors usually lasts from October this year to April next year. Recently, representatives from the tourism industry and businesses have taken a business trip to promote connections with the Australian market. The number of visitors from the Australian market to Da Nang at this time has doubled as compared to 2023, and is expected to have many improvements in the coming time.

In addition, some new routes have been put into operation such as the Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia) - Da Nang route in September. The Ahmedabad (India) - Da Nang route is expected to be put into operation from the end of October, so the number of visitors in the last months of this year will be more stable. Mr. Cao Tri Dung said that, depending on each time, the city’s tourism businesses will have different strategies in a bid to attract even more tourists. If summer is the peak season for domestic visitors, the following months will be for international ones. Along with major events organised in each phase, businesses also focus on tourism product quality.

“Da Nang’s resources, infrastructure, service quality, and destination management are very sustainable, creating a difference from other destinations. This is an advantage to attract visitors. Events are organised mainly to promote more on occasions when it is necessary to increase the source of highly sensitive visitors. As for visitors from European, Australian and US markets, they often travel based on resources, culture, service facilities, and quality of human resources, so most businesses will focus on enhancing the experience for this type of visitor,” said Mr. Dung.

According to Deputy Director of the Department of Tourism Nguyen Thi Hoai An, many years ago, the story of the low tourist season was often talked about by tourism workers in the last months of the year, but in reality, the gap between the low and high tourism seasons is increasingly narrowing. In fact, the city’s tourism industry, businesses and associations have shifted in building products as well as organising many events and activities in different stages to attract visitors.

Many major events and many MICE groups have continuously come to Da Nang in recent times, contributing to eliminating the gap among seasonal tourism. In particular, with more and more flights from international markets, especially distant destinations, the tourism industry believes that the tourism industry,and businesses in particular, will make more efforts so that Da Nang becomes a year-round destination for both domestic and foreign tourists.

Reporting by THU HA - Translating by A.THU