Northstar

Destination Vietnam 40 JAN-FEB 2019 MEETINGS & CONVENTIONS MCMAG-ASIA.COM In 2017, the quiet white beaches of Da Nang in Vietnam became host to high- ranking delegates from Asia, Oceania and North and South America for one of the most important events that year: the Asia-Paci c Economic Cooperation (APEC) Summit 2017. Vietnam had last hosted the annual regional ministerial conference in 2006 in its capital city Hanoi. Twelve years on, much has changed in the country's MICE o erings, and the successful APEC conference in Da Nang has certainly elevated the pro le of the city as more than just a tourist destination for a beach holiday. But more importantly, it has proven that Vietnam — an emerging market — can compete with developed countries in the region as a MICE destination, not just companies. However, today's Vietnam boasts close to 14,000 IT businesses spanning hardware, software and digital content. Having identi ed the tech sector as the lynchpin of the country's economic growth in the coming decades, the government has heavily invested in infrastructure and implemented economic policies that strongly encourage local entrepreneurship and invite foreign investors. The country's ties to Asia's tech giants like Samsung, which has set up major manufacturing plant in the country, are also crucial to its tech boom. To encourage further investment and sharing of ideas in this sector, tech conferences are also on the rise, which in turn raises the country's pro le as a tech hub in Asia. 2018 closed with Techfest Vietnam 2018, held at the Ariyana Convention Centre in Furama Resort Danang in late November. The event is organised annually by Vietnam's Ministry of Vietnam is making its presence known on the MICE scene in the quality of services and amenities on o er but also the type of conferences it hosts. A booming tech industry Vietnam's economy is still largely dependent on its manufacturing and heavy industry sectors, and this is evidently re ected in the slew of conferences held in the country every year that typically revolve around topics such as agricultural, textiles and heavy machinery, just to name a few. But as it enters the second decade of the 21st century, the country is bracing itself for a new economic boom — this time in the tech sector. Fifteen years ago, the country barely had any IT A relatively new entrant in SEA's MICE scene, Vietnam is focusing its attention on more top-tier events, showing it is not afraid to compete with the established players. WORDS BENJAMIN LIM Ready player two Fifteen years ago, [Vietnam] barely had any IT companies. However, today's Vietnam boasts close to 14,000 IT businesses spanning hardware, software and digital content. digital content. PHOTO CREDIT: QUANGPRAHA/GETTY IMAGES

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