In August, travel leaders, founders, creators, marketers, media, and hospitality professionals came together in Central Vietnam for the Travel Massive Asia Conference 2026.
Secret Experiences co-organised the two-day event with Travel Massive, with our CEO, Natalya Wissink, co-hosting the conference alongside Travel Massive founder Ian Cumming. The programme brought together people working across tourism, travel technology, hospitality, content, and destination marketing to share practical ideas and make new connections.
Day one in Da Nang
The first day took place at Ariyana Convention Centre in Da Nang, as part of HorecFex.
The programme focused on the conversations shaping the travel industry now: innovation, travel marketing, AI and search visibility, the creator economy, and the trends influencing how people will travel in the years ahead. Speakers, panels, and the Travel Startup Pitch Competition gave attendees space to exchange perspectives and hear directly from people building businesses across Southeast Asia.
The energy of the day came from the mix of people in the room — established tourism businesses, new ventures, creators, media, hotels, travel operators, and people simply curious about what the industry can become.
Day two in Hoi An
For the second day, the group travelled to Namia River Retreat in Hoi An for a smaller and more personal series of masterclasses.
Set beside the river, the programme moved away from the main stage and into practical discussion. Sessions explored how to build a tour company people talk about, become a trusted source in a changing media landscape, and build sustainable income through social media audiences. The setting encouraged people to slow down, share openly, and leave with ideas they could take back into their own work.
A final journey by river
The conference concluded with an after-party at Market Bar, curated by the Secret Experiences team.
One of the standout moments came before the evening had even begun: guests travelled by boat along the river from Namia River Retreat to reach the after-party. As daylight faded, the journey offered a pause between the day’s conversations and a night of cocktails, music, and more informal connections.
It was a fitting end to two days that balanced ideas with experience, and professional exchange with the simple pleasure of gathering in a beautiful place.
Looking forward
The value of a conference is not only in what happens on stage. It is in the conversations that continue afterwards: introductions made over coffee, new partnerships, shared projects, and the reassurance that others are navigating many of the same questions.
We are grateful to every speaker, attendee, venue partner, and collaborator who helped make the event happen — and to Travel Massive for building it with us.
We are already looking forward to seeing where the connections formed in Da Nang and Hoi An lead next.
Planning a private event?
Whether it is an office launch, team celebration, client gathering, or something entirely different, we create private experiences around the people, occasion, and story at the centre of the event.
If you are planning a gathering in Vietnam and want to create something distinctive, get in touch with our team.