Ho Chi Minh City develops criteria for smart, green, boutique hotels

The initiative is considered a pioneering move to establish a legal framework that promotes digitalization, green transformation and the diversification of tourism products, particularly in the hotel sector.

According to the drafting agency, several other localities have introduced programs to encourage smart and green tourism through individual schemes or support plans.

However, no locality has yet issued a People’s Council resolution establishing a unified set of criteria for these hotel models.

Therefore, the proposed resolution would make Ho Chi Minh City a pioneer in this area.

The city has also studied models adopted by countries with experience in the field, including Singapore and South Korea for smart hotels, Thailand and European countries for green hotels, and France and Japan for boutique hotels associated with heritage and culture.

Based on these studies, the city has developed criteria intended to be practical, transparent and clearly defined.

Under the draft, smart hotels will be assessed across five key areas: location, architecture and space optimization; equipment, amenities and technology infrastructure; services and customer experience; the capacity of management and operating staff; and security, safety, environmental protection and data security.

The goal is to encourage hotel businesses to adopt technology to improve management and operational efficiency while enhancing the overall guest experience.

For green hotels, the criteria focus on efficient use of energy and water, waste management and the circular economy.

They also cover greenhouse gas emissions reduction, sustainable management and social responsibility.

This model is designed to support sustainable tourism and green growth while contributing to the goal of achieving net-zero emissions.

Meanwhile, the boutique hotel criteria will assess such factors as scale, distinctive architecture and spatial design, as well as equipment and interior furnishings that reflect a unique identity.

Personalized service quality, human resource management, communication culture and green practices will also form part of the assessment.

The model is intended to diversify the city’s tourism offerings and attract visitors seeking distinctive experiences rooted in local identity and culture.

A key principle of the draft resolution is that recognition will be entirely voluntary and conducted in an open and transparent manner.

It will not create any new business conditions or licensing requirements for hotel operators.

Recognition results will be published on digital platforms and closely integrated with the city’s tourism promotion and marketing activities.

The recognition system will not replace the existing classification of tourist accommodation establishments under the Law on Tourism.

A hotel may also receive multiple labels simultaneously if it meets the corresponding criteria for each category.

To participate, hotels must be legally operating in Ho Chi Minh City, meet all business conditions stipulated under the Law on Tourism and not be subject to suspension.

Besides, hotels must not have been subject to an administrative penalty in the tourism sector resulting in suspension of operations within the 12 months preceding the submission of their application.

The southern metropolis is home to a total of 4,805 accommodation establishments with 106,292 rooms, including 81 high-end four- and five-star hotels with more than 17,130 rooms.