The shortage of space to hold large-scale international fairs and exhibitions is putting Vietnam under pressure, especially as the number of foreign enterprises entering the country to expand their reach and market their products is on the rise.

Visitors at an automobile exhibition in HCMC

Without international standard exhibition and convention centers, the country will miss multiple opportunities to develop the tourism and trade sectors and attract investments.

Speaking on the sidelines of a press conference to introduce the international processing and packaging exhibition in Vietnam in 2019 (ProPak Vietnam 2019) last week, BT Tee, general director of UBM Vietnam, the organizer of the exhibition, voiced concern over the severe shortage of space, noting that expositions were not facing a shortage of exhibitors but were encountering a space shortage, which was hampering the country from developing the exhibition industry and shoring up Vietnam’s image.

Tee remarked that 540 firms, where over 80% were foreign enterprises from 31 territories and countries, had registered to participate in ProPak Vietnam 2019, which will take place at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center (SECC) on March 19.

After 13 years of organization, the figure reportedly surged tenfold this year against the number of participants in the first edition of the exhibition, proving that Vietnam's attractiveness is on an upward trend.

“All exhibitors, especially international ones, want to gain a booth inside the exhibition center to facilitate their transactions and the introduction of products, but the area offered by the SECC remains limited,” Tee said, adding that international firms always require a good location for their booths to consolidate their brands.

Huynh Van Hanh, vice chairman of the Handicraft & Wood Industry Association of HCMC, one of the organizers of Vietnam International Furniture and Home Accessories Fair (VIFA Expo 2019), said that international exhibitors care more about the location of their booths rather than the rental rates of booths.

However, the country’s exhibition venues, which are not large enough to meet demand, have failed to attract foreign exhibitors, Hanh remarked.

A representative of Vietnam National Trade Fair and Advertising Company (Vinexad) also decried the lack of space for organizing large-scale exhibitions in Vietnam, pointing out that the SECC, the country’s most modern and largest exhibition venue, is suffering an overload.

Some experts explained that fairs and exhibitions were not only marketing activities or bridges for commercial promotion, but they are also considered an effective way to bolster the development of the tourism industry and other sectors.

Tee said that Singapore, Thailand and Malaysia have benefited greatly from the development of the exhibition industry. As such, Vietnam should quickly invest in exhibition venues to avoid missing a series of opportunities for developing the tourism industry; the travel, hotel and transport sectors; and other services.

SGT