Hanoi registers healthy success

Vietnamese capital Hanoi came top of the list when choosing an Asia Pacific venue for a conference of Australian medical professionals. The week-long "Moving forward in Medicine" meeting organised by the Pharmaceutical Society of Australia demanded a destination offering top-range conference facilities combined with attractive extra-curricular activities. Delegates totalled 170 from across Australia. They were drawn from both the pharmaceutical and medical industries to discuss the latest developments in drug therapy and disease management. Therefore the conference had to allow sufficient facilities for forums on case studies on the use of medications and enough leisure options to entertain delegates over the course of the week-long programme. Pharmaceutical Society Australia (PSA) manager continuing education Mr Bill Horsfall says Vietnam was recommended by Sydney-based Travel Indochina, which organised the outbound logistics and whose Vietnamese operation arranged the programme inside the country. Hanoi was preferred above other Vietnamese venues, such as the business centre of Ho Chi Minh City, because the capital promised a more exotic location. Travel Indochina co-founder Mr Paul Hole believes Vietnam is showing growing potential as a conference destination. "Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City now have a wide range of international brand hotels with top-of-the-range conference facilities. The country's image and history generate enormous interest and enthusiasm. Many of our clients see it as a taste of Asia as it used to be." There were, however, certain logistical challenges. Mr Horsfall says: "Only Vietnam Airlines has direct Sydney-Hanoi flights so the shortage of seats was a challenge." The PSA solved this by holding a pre-conference long weekend in Bangkok. The Thai capital provided more carrier options and alternative routes to and from Australia, allowing the majority of delegates to assemble and start discussions before the Hanoi event. These delegates then flew to Hanoi by Vietnam Airlines. Accommodation was in the five-star Hanoi Metropole Hotel, a 300-room property, which also hosted the conference itself and the main gala dinner. "The Metropole was absolutely superb, not only the facilities themselves but also the level of service. The delegates were extremely impressed," Mr Horsfall says. However, he feels Hanoi hotel facilities are nonetheless disproportionately pricey in comparison with other Asian cities and the country at large. "It was highly expensive for those dining in the hotels, while those who ventured out a few minutes down the road could eat well for a few Australian dollars," he adds. However, Mr Hole argues while there was a premium to be paid compared with other destinations, such as Bali or Thailand, the amount was marginal. "In any case, it is far outweighed by the added value of Vietnam's unique character, which is fresh even for those who have experienced the more traditional Asian locations," he says. As the delegates were participating at their own expense and spending a considerable amount of time travelling away from home, the PSA felt it was important to include a strong leisure element to encourage a higher attendance. "Hanoi more than lived up to our expectations. "We arranged two main itineraries for delegates. The first was a day-long tour to Halong Bay, which was a top-class trip. The other was a general city sites tour, taking in the Ho Chi Minh memorial and mausoleum," he says. A high proportion of the delegates also took the opportunity to arrange pre- and post-conference personal travel either within Vietnam or to Cambodia and Laos. Mr Horsfall says the PSA's choice was well founded. "We would recommend Hanoi as a conference destination and will consider Vietnam for future events," he adds.