Basic HTML Version
4
timeout
Dear readers,
While MICE is a fashionable term in the world’s tourism industry, indus-
try insiders in Vietnam remain divided on whether to focus efforts on devel-
oping this niche market.
On one hand, many tourism companies and hotels are eager to promote
MICE business, claiming MICE tourism brings a lot of benefits with MICE
travellers usually having a higher rate of spending. Moreover, Vietnam’s
roads, air access and exhibition spaces have all improved in recent years,
allowing the country to host large international events. In addition, many
large new hotels are opening, not only in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City, but
also in the coastal cities of Danang and Vung Tau.
However, some industry players argue that Vietnam is still far from be-
coming an international MICE destination, and it is unable to compete with
stronger peers in the region including Thailand and Malaysia. Many still
do not really understand what MICE is, how it works, what it requires, how
it should be promoted and what the benefits for the country are. All these
are discussed by tourism experts, hoteliers and tour operators in our special
feature on MICE tourism in Vietnam. The feature also looks at some places
which have potential to become a MICE destination in the future.
On other pages you will find a piece on a current contentious issue fac-
ing women in Vietnam’s big cities. For a long time, having children, par-
ticularly a boy, was a desperate aspiration of most Vietnamese. However,
women in big cities today are burdened with work, while some simply wish
to have more leisure time, and they are becoming more reluctant to give
birth. This raises alarm bells about Vietnam’s population getting older.
Alongside all this you will find our usual round up of the best travel, food
and drink deals in Vietnam, plus the very latest on hotel openings and flights.
Yours sincerely
NGUYEN ANH TUAN
Editor-in-Chief
PRICE: VND52,000 if sold separately
Editor-in-Chief
Dr. Nguyen Anh Tuan
Deputy Editors-in-Chief
Le Trong Minh
Bui Duc Hai
Do Xuan Khanh
Deputy Managing Editor
Tran Ngoc Son
Designer
Lai Hoang Yen
OFFICES
Hanoi
47 Quan Thanh Str.
Tel: (84-4) 38450537
Fax: (84-4) 38235281
E-mail: timeout@vir.com.vn
Website: www.vir.com.vn
Ho Chi Minh City
178 Nguyen Dinh Chieu Str., D3
Tel: (84-8) 39305311 -
39305316
Fax: (84-8) 39305318
E-mail: dautu@virhcm.com.vn
vpdd@virhcm.com.vn
Can Tho
105 Tran Hung Dao,
Tel/Fax: (071) 3731766
Email: dautuct@vnn.vn
Danang
5th floor, MPI’s office building
Le Sat Str., Hai Chau Dist.
Tel: (0511) 3623492
Fax: (0511) 33623491
E-mail: huanvir@dng.vnn.vn
Haiphong
1 Dinh Tien Hoang Str.
Tel: (031) 3842478
Fax: (031) 3842419
E-mail: thanhtanvir@yahoo.com
REGULARS
6
What's on
22
Update
24
Hot deal
58
Timeout Guide
66
Voyeur
CAST & CREW
Cover photo at the courtesy of InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort