New direct flights to Melbourne from Vietnam and Philippines have expanded incentive market potential for Melbourne Convention Bureau (MCB).
There are currently three direct air services – operated by Vietjet (Hanoi), Vietnam Airlines (Hanoi), and Jetstar (Ho Chi Min City) – from Vietnam to Melbourne.
Joanna Garrie, MCB’s director corporate meetings and incentives, who spoke to TTGmice at Australia Next 2024, said: “We are seeing incentives from Vietnam that are 20 to 30 people strong (which may not seem as large as inbound groups from China), but there is quite a big volume of these smaller-sized groups.”
“With the rise of the middle class in Vietnam, we’re seeing more direct selling, insurance, and pharmaceutical companies based there running incentives,” she added.
As most of the Vietnamese delegates are first-time visitors, they favour iconic products such as the Great Ocean Road and the Penguin Parade at Phillip Island.
Last year, the Victoria state government opened a trade and investment office in Vietnam’s Ho Chi Minh City, which will bring indirect contributions to the inbound incentive travel sector.
Another South-east Asian market that is on MCB’s radar is the Philippines, thanks to direct flights operated by Philippines Airlines and Cebu Pacific.
Garrie said the Philippines’ rising middle class and direct selling agencies were fuelling interest in Melbourne.
“We have received some incentive interest out of the Philippines, but it has yet to materialise,” she added.
Sales efforts in these two markets are led by regional sales director, Kelvin Yin, who conducted sales calls in Vietnam last year. MCB also hosted a delegation from Vietnam in partnership with Visit Victoria and Australian Trade and Investment Commission. Garrie described the event as a “sharing of ideas” that explored both the inbound and outbound markets, as “Australians also love travelling to Vietnam”.
Marketing activities will likely happen in the future.
Melbourne’s traditional inbound incentive markets are India and China, while Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia are considered established markets.
