The weakened rouble has sparked a tourist exodus from one of Vietnam’s popular beach resort areas. Tourism operators are now looking towards MICE to pick up the slack. Dave Fox reports
Along stretch of beach, drier weather than most of the country and sand dunes that offer unconventional teambuilding opportunities are among the draws that have tour operators and resort managers promoting two neighbouring towns on Vietnam’s South China Sea coast as new MICE hotspots.
Located 190km north-east of Ho Chi Minh City, Mui Ne and Phan Thiet were once sleepy fishing villages with virtually no tourists. Then in 1995, Mui Ne was found to be the ideal viewing area for a total solar eclipse. Throngs of eclipse-watchers flocked to the area and discovered a 10km-long stretch of idyllic sandy coastline.
A resort town emerged, becoming especially popular among Russian tourists. But with Russia’s economic downturn, tourism has dwindled in the past year.
Tour operators, locally and in Ho Chi Minh City, are now attempting to reposition the area as a viable option for small- to mid-sized conferences.
The big attraction, said Robert Tan, director of business development for Lac Hong Voyages, is the nature. Tan recommends conference organisers consider two urban days in Ho Chi Minh City, coupled with two days by the sea.
“Phan Thiet is still a natural environment, and also a place for incentives and activities, indoor and outdoor,” Tan said.
Nikolaos Chatzipetros, general manager of Anantara Mui Ne Resort & Spa, said meetings in their sea-view conference rooms create a refreshing vibe.
“From the moment you sit down,” he said, “you see water.”
The Anantara is Mui Ne’s largest conference facility, Chatzipetros said. Its ballroom can hold 210 visitors in a theatre-style seating, or 90 in a classroom set-up.
This size limitation is one of Mui Ne’s challenges for MICE events, Tan said. The area has no other facilities to support larger gatherings.
Some have also questioned the logistics of getting there.
Speaking earlier this month in Ho Chi Minh City at a forum on Vietnam’s MICE industry, Herb Cochran, executive director of the American Chamber of Commerce in Vietnam, said: “The development of the industry has been far behind the potential.”
Asked specifically about Mui Ne, Cochran told TTGmice: “In my personal opinion, there is inadequate transport infrastructure and quality accommodations for Mui Ne or Phan Thiet to develop a MICE industry.”
Chatzipetros disagreed. He said while road conditions were an issue in the past, they have improved considerably. He estimated travel time between Ho Chi Minh City and Mui Ne is about 3.5 hours, though when TTGmice visited, heavy traffic stretched the journey to five hours.
The train, which takes less than four hours, is another option. With enough lead time, Tan and Chatzipetros said, it can accommodate large groups.
Tan acknowledged that Mui Ne and Phan Thiet face logistical challenges in expanding their MICE infrastructure. For small to mid-sized conferences, however, he said he believes it’s worth the journey.
With a new airport scheduled to open in 2018, these two towns, untouched by tourism two decades ago, are striving to diversify and become new players in Vietnam’s young MICE industry.
{Insider}
Jonathan Tran, executive director of Lac Hong Voyages, recommends some teambuilding fun
Be a fisherman
Phan Thiet’s original fishing village still retains its authenticity in spite of nearby tourism development. Groups can spend a morning learning about the traditional lifestyle of local fishermen, try their hand at rowing the tricky-to-manoeuvre, basket-like fishing boats that are unique to the area, and see who can catch the most fish.
Frolic in the dunes
The area’s famous red and white sand dunes offer fun teambuilding challenges. Teams can compete in sand-sledding competitions as they zoom down hills of sand on plastic sheets. For a motorised adventure, they can hire all-terrain vehicles and race across the dunes. Plan to get dirty here; no business attire, please!
Hit the beach
After a long day of meetings or activities, a refreshing stretch of sandy beach awaits. Nearby dunes create a microclimate that keeps Mui Ne drier than nearby areas. When the winds pick up, particularly between November and March, it is thrilling to watch the kitesurfers fly above the waves. Why not take a class and join them?
{Talking Numbers}
