In July 2024, the Mekong Silt Ecolodge (My Nhon Hamlet, My Khanh Commune, Phong Dien District) welcomed a delegation from the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to organize a training conference on agricultural tourism. The conference impressed the delegates with the open space of the rural market. Along the road next to the resort, there were stalls selling/displaying sweet soups, folk cakes, fruits, and vegetables, resembling a market in the countryside. Additionally, fruit boats were moving back and forth in the small canal in the resort while rustic folk songs of the local people played, thus, bringing beautiful emotions to the delegates.

Huynh Thi Bich Tuyen, the owner of Mekong Silt Ecolodge, expressed that modern conferences are evolving from static to dynamic. They now prioritize open spaces and focus on the emotional well-being of participants. Holding conferences in natural settings like this one creates a more comfortable environment, encourages proactive interaction, and enhances the overall effectiveness of the conference. Additionally, apart from professional exchanges, delegates engaged in in-depth discussions with local individuals about agriculture, indigenous culture, and how to integrate agriculture and tourism. This included interactions with the local villagers who managed the vegetable stalls and made Southern folk cakes.

In such a rural market space, professors and experts can comfortably talk with farmers about how they do organic farming, and how to improve agricultural produce into valuable products for tourism. For example, growing vegetables does not stop at using vegetables to make dishes or vegetable juices, but also sharing stories about vegetables with tourists. That is the way to increase the value of agricultural products. “With seminars in such an open space, delegates and local people have effective interactions in knowledge and spiritual values. Experts help farmers gain more professional knowledge, and people can share practical experiences. Above all, this is the most natural promotion of indigenous culture. We not only introduce agricultural products but also folk songs, traditional knowledge, and stories about the local people. That is what makes delegates love to learn and promise to come back to organize similar seminars,” Huynh Thi Bich Tuyen added.

The MICE model at Mekong Silt Ecolodge revolves around various themes such as agriculture, waste management, and sustainable livelihoods for women. Several expert delegations from countries like Japan and the US chose Mekong Silt Ecolodge to host their conferences. Depending on the nature of each conference, the space is flexible and can be tailored to suit different experiences. Nguyen Thi Hong Doan, an employee at Mekong Silt Ecolodge, explained, "Instead of traditional tea breaks, we offer a rural market experience for delegates to enjoy. While it's common for 4-5 star chefs to cater to international guests, here we have ordinary women, mainly housewives, who can cook delicious dishes loved by international guests. This is a way for us to showcase local cuisine and the community, while also enabling locals to adapt and improve the value of their products. Direct interactions between delegates and local people during conference sidelines often generate useful insights for the participants.”

The tourism sector of Can Tho City aims to develop MICE tourism alongside eco-tourism as its main products. However, MICE tourism in Can Tho faces challenges such as insufficient space, traffic infrastructure, and lack of professionalism. Instead of pursuing a general approach, Can Tho Tourism is considering specialized MICE with expert guests. Can Tho has advantages in fields such as healthcare, education, and agriculture, which could help position MICE tourism specifically in the MICE product system. The city will focus on promoting the available strengths before full-scale promotion. For instance, the thematic MICE model in open space at Mekong Silt Ecolodge can be considered a model to be applied and promoted.