Vietnam is making bold strides to position itself as a competitive player in the global MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism market, with Ho Chi Minh City leading the charge. This ambition was on full display at IMEX Frankfurt 2025, one of the world’s foremost trade shows for the travel industry, held from May 20 to 22 in Germany. With the theme “Welcome to Ho Chi Minh City,” Vietnam’s dynamic southern metropolis captured attention through immersive presentations, vibrant displays, and high-level B2B networking initiatives aimed at global buyers and exhibitors.
IMEX Frankfurt, a globally renowned annual trade show, draws more than 3,800 international buyers and 2,500 exhibiting organizations representing 150 countries from across the meetings and events industry. It has earned a reputation as a global convergence point for the MICE sector, enabling nearly 50,000 business-to-business (B2B) meetings every year. Vietnam’s strong presence in the 2025 edition reflects a calculated effort to secure a stronger foothold in this high-value tourism segment.
A National Strategy Centered on Ho Chi Minh City
The Vietnam delegation, led by the Department of Tourism of Ho Chi Minh City, collaborated with key travel and hospitality providers including Ben Thanh Tourist, Vietravel, Bliss Hoi An, and Trusted DMC. Together, they promoted a wide array of innovative tourism products and customized MICE experiences tailored for international corporate and incentive travelers. The unified effort underlined the city’s growing capacity to host large-scale business events while offering delegates unique cultural and leisure opportunities.
Driven by a bold vision, Ho Chi Minh City is transforming from Vietnam’s commercial hub into a rising regional powerhouse for business tourism across Asia. The city’s vibrant infrastructure, rapid urban development, and growing roster of luxury hotels and conference venues make it a natural contender in the MICE space.
New Tourism Products Target High-End Business Travelers
At the exhibition, Vietnamese participants showcased a refreshed catalog of MICE offerings that blend business with leisure, aiming to attract planners looking for unique destinations with strong support ecosystems. These offerings included:
- Curated business event packages tailored to corporate needs.
- Wellness retreats combined with executive team-building programs.
- Culinary discovery tours tied to event itineraries.
- Post-conference cultural experiences in Southern Vietnam.
By highlighting these integrated experiences, Ho Chi Minh City delivered a compelling message: business events hosted in Vietnam can go beyond conventional venues and offer immersive, culturally rich itineraries that appeal to both organizers and attendees.
Spotlight on Sustainable and Cultural Event Models
An important narrative woven throughout Vietnam’s participation was sustainability and cultural integration. With rising demand for environmentally conscious and culturally authentic events, Vietnamese MICE organizers are embedding local traditions, eco-tourism, and responsible travel elements into their offerings.
Ho Chi Minh City, with its blend of French colonial architecture, bustling markets, modern convention centers, and nearby ecological attractions like the Can Gio Biosphere Reserve, is ideally suited to support both modern event needs and sustainable tourism aspirations.
Strategic B2B Engagements to Cement Global Ties
Beyond the exhibition hall in Frankfurt, Vietnamese and German businesses continued their collaboration through a dedicated series of B2B meetings in Munich on May 23. These sessions aimed to strengthen bilateral ties in tourism investment, event planning, hospitality services, and destination management.
These engagements are vital for Vietnam’s long-term MICE strategy. By building relationships with European tour operators, event planners, and travel buyers, Vietnam can secure a more consistent pipeline of international MICE traffic. Europe, known for high outbound MICE spending, presents significant potential for Vietnam as it positions itself as a cost-effective and experience-rich alternative to traditional destinations in East Asia and Southeast Asia.
Global Market Trends Favor Emerging MICE Destinations
Vietnam’s proactive participation in IMEX Frankfurt comes at a time when MICE travel is evolving rapidly. Post-pandemic market conditions are favoring emerging destinations that offer flexibility, affordability, and strong cultural narratives. With event planners seeking new experiences and locales that balance business and enrichment, cities like Ho Chi Minh are stepping in to fill the gap left by saturated and expensive hubs.
Additionally, Vietnam’s stable economic growth, improved infrastructure, and ongoing investment in tourism development provide the foundation for long-term expansion in the MICE sector.
Ho Chi Minh City’s Growing Infrastructure for Business Events
A cornerstone of the city’s MICE appeal is its infrastructure. The metropolis is now home to:
- State-of-the-art convention centers including the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC).
- Over 700 hotels and resorts ranging from mid-tier to luxury brands.
- Modern international airport connectivity with direct flights from Europe, Asia, and the Middle East.
- Efficient urban transport improvements including metro lines under development.
Planners attending IMEX were introduced to this infrastructure through immersive digital experiences and curated presentations, which emphasized the ease of organizing mid to large-scale international events in Ho Chi Minh City.
International Buyers Show Growing Interest
Feedback from IMEX Frankfurt 2025 suggests growing interest among global event organizers in Vietnam. Buyers were particularly drawn to the affordability and authenticity of MICE experiences in Ho Chi Minh City compared to more traditional destinations in Asia.
Buyers from European markets showed keen interest in educational trips, incentive tours, and conferences with embedded cultural components. Planners from the Middle East and Asia expressed enthusiasm for wellness-themed MICE packages and luxury beach-mountain combos, which can easily be arranged by combining Ho Chi Minh City with Popular extensions from Ho Chi Minh City include coastal escapes such as Da Nang, the vibrant seaside city of Nha Trang, and the tropical island retreat of Phu Quoc.
Elevating National Tourism Through International Trade Shows
Vietnam’s participation in international exhibitions like IMEX is part of a broader tourism promotion strategy to boost inbound travel, diversify visitor segments, and drive economic growth. MICE tourism plays a critical role in this strategy as it:
- Generates higher per-capita spending than leisure travel.
- Attracts long-stay, repeat visitors.
- Spurs growth in hospitality, F&B, transport, and professional services.
- Positions the country as a leader in sustainable and experiential travel.
With growing competition from Thailand, Singapore, Malaysia, and Indonesia, Vietnam’s continued investment in international exposure through events like IMEX is vital.
Germany and Vietnam Deepen Tourism Ties
Germany is one of Vietnam’s most significant European tourism markets. In 2024, the number of German visitors to Vietnam surpassed pre-pandemic levels, fueled by improved connectivity and rising interest in Southeast Asian experiences.
The B2B meetings in Munich following IMEX Frankfurt are expected to catalyze further cooperation. These meetings provided a platform for Vietnamese tourism businesses to present tailored proposals, explore joint ventures, and seek direct contracts with German MICE companies and European agencies.
By strengthening these partnerships, Vietnam not only boosts inbound MICE travel but also sets the stage for outbound collaboration, joint destination marketing, and co-hosted international events.
What’s Next for Vietnam’s MICE Tourism?
Building on its presence at IMEX Frankfurt 2025, Vietnam’s Department of Tourism is set to broaden its international engagement through scheduled appearances at forthcoming MICE and travel trade events across Asia and the Middle East. Additionally, marketing campaigns focused on digital promotion and influencer partnerships are expected to enhance visibility among younger corporate travel planners.
Capacity-building efforts are also underway. Ho Chi Minh City is set to implement regional capacity-building initiatives, including specialized training sessions, hospitality accreditation programs, and comprehensive service quality enhancements to elevate its MICE infrastructure to globally competitive standards.
Vietnam showcased Ho Chi Minh City at IMEX Frankfurt 2025 to position it as Asia’s rising MICE destination by highlighting new business travel offerings and forging global partnerships. The initiative aimed to attract high-value international events and elevate the city’s profile in the global MICE industry.
As Ho Chi Minh City continues to transform into a global business destination, events like IMEX Frankfurt offer the ideal stage to showcase its evolution to the world.
Vietnam’s dynamic showcase at IMEX Frankfurt 2025 placed Ho Chi Minh City in the spotlight as one of Asia’s most promising MICE destinations. Through strategic partnerships, a strong tourism infrastructure, and a vision aligned with global trends, Vietnam is ready to capture a larger share of the international meetings and events market. As the country steps confidently onto the world stage, its efforts at trade shows like IMEX will continue to propel its reputation as a competitive, creative, and culturally rich business tourism leader in the Asia-Pacific region.
Tags: Vietnam Ho Chi Minh City MICE, IMEX Frankfurt 2025