The 5th World MICE Awards ceremony, which featured the participation of international and regional delegates, took place in Ho Chi Minh City on the evening of September 4, 2024.

At this year's World MICE Awards ceremony, Ho Chi Minh City was honored to receive several prestigious awards, winning in three important categories: Asia's Best MICE Destination, Asia's Best Incentive Destination, and the ITE HCMC fair was recognized as Asia's Best Trade Show. These accolades not only underscore the city's growing prominence in the MICE industry but also serve as a testament to its potential to attract international visitors.

Ho Chi Minh City has successfully surpassed numerous strong candidates to win the title of Asia's Best MICE Destination for the fifth consecutive year. This also marks the city's first hosting this prestigious awards ceremony. The event not only serves as an occasion to honor outstanding cities and organizations but also provides an opportunity to promote the image of Ho Chi Minh City on the international stage.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa, Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism, emphasized that this award is a testament to the city's appeal as a leading destination for the MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) industry. She stated, "This award also acknowledges our efforts to position Ho Chi Minh City not only as a tourist destination but also as a major tourism hub in the Asia region.

Sustainable Tourism Development Direction

In addition to the "Asia's Best MICE Destination" award, Ho Chi Minh City was also recognized in another significant category: "Asia's Best Incentive Destination." The city has set ambitious goals to become a top destination in Asia by 2030, embodying the image of "Open - Young - Vibrant - Exciting - Future-Oriented." To achieve this, Ho Chi Minh City will continue to enhance service quality, diversify tourism products, and focus on developing distinctive destinations.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Anh Hoa emphasized the importance of fostering tourism with environmental protection and cultural values. "We are committed to building a sustainable tourism environment that harmonizes with cultural, social, and environmental values," she stated.

ITE HCMC – A Connection Hub for International Businesses

For the first time, the ITE HCMC 2024 was honored with the title of "Asia's Best Trade Show." This is one of the most significant events in the tourism industry, having first been held in 2005 and continuously evolving through 17 editions. The ITE HCMC not only showcases tourism products but also serves as a bridge connecting businesses both domestically and internationally, helping to expand the international tourist market to Vietnam.

This year's ITE HCMC 2024 Fair, themed "Sustainable Tourism – Shaping the Future," defines the strategic vision of Vietnam's tourism industry in general and Ho Chi Minh City's tourism in particular as one of sustainable development. Tourism development should not only rely on economic benefits but also harmonize with cultural, social, and environmental values, aiming for green and net-zero tourism.

Impressive Achievements of Ho Chi Minh City Tourism

Previously, on September 3, 2024, in Manila, Ho Chi Minh City was honored as Asia's Leading Business Travel Destination 2024 and Asia's Leading Festival & Event Destination 2024. These crucial awards affirm the robust development of the tourism sector in Ho Chi Minh City.

According to statistics, in the first eight months of 2024, Ho Chi Minh City welcomed over 3.4 million international visitors, an increase of 21% compared to the same period last year. Domestic tourists also reached over 23 million, a rise of 6.7%. Tourism revenue is estimated to reach 123 trillion VND, reflecting an increase of nearly 15% compared to the previous year. These figures highlight the strong recovery of the tourism industry following the pandemic.

In the period from 2022 to 2025, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism has signed numerous partnerships with relevant entities and implemented a MICE tourism program focusing on key areas such as developing MICE tourism policies, creating tour programs in Ho Chi Minh City, and establishing a MICE tourism task force. These efforts aim to ensure that Ho Chi Minh City will not only be an attractive tourist destination but also a tourism hub in the region, striving for sustainable development and meeting the needs of international travelers.

The World MICE Awards is part of the prestigious World Travel Awards, recognized globally and considered the “Oscars of the tourism industry” by The Wall Street Journal. Ho Chi Minh City is on track to affirm its position on the international tourism map with relentless efforts to develop sustainable and appealing MICE tourism.