Vietnam rolls out red carpet for prominent tourists

Five-star cruise ships arriving in Phu Quoc, an island city off southern Kien Giang Province, an affluent Indian couple holding their opulent wedding celebration in Ha Long City, northern Quang Ninh Province, and Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates and his girlfriend visiting Da Nang City in central Vietnam are recent examples testifying to the Southeast Asian’s ability to serve the needs of high-end tourists.

The stunning beaches and upscale resorts in Phu Quoc, Ha Long, Da Nang, and Nha Trang City, located in south-central Khanh Hoa Province, have emerged as popular destinations for sightseeing, weddings, and MICE (meetings, incentives, conventions, and exhibitions) tourism among affluent travelers.

A delegation of over 400 experts and doctors arrived in Ho Chi Minh City early this year to attend a conference and go on tours with strict requirements on service quality.

Another group of more than 300 guests from various countries has recently reached the southern Vietnamese metropolis to participate in a company’s conference. They booked many luxurious areas in the city.

Early this year, Phu Quoc also repeatedly welcomed five-star cruise ships from Italy and a France-flagged one with some 3,000 foreign passengers on board, according to the Phu Quoc administration.

Bui Quoc Thai, director of the Kien Giang Department of Tourism, told Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper that Phu Quoc is home to beaches which are beautiful all year round and high-end resorts, so many Indian billionaires have picked the destination as the venue for their wedding celebrations.

Phu Quoc International Airport in the city daily welcomes 15-17 international flights from South Korea, China, India, the UK, France, and the U.S..

Visitors gravitate to the island city to enjoy upscale tourism offerings, including the Kiss of the Sea show, a multimedia water spectacle, and services available in the Kiss Bridge area at Grand World Phu Quoc.

Extravagant events being held in Vietnam proves the country’s increasingly improved high-end services.

As a case in point, during an Indian billionaire’s recent wedding celebration in Da Nang, Indian culture was highlighted amid clean and romantic beaches in the coastal city.

Piotr Madej, general manager of Danang Marriott Resort & Spa, said the resort expended efforts to bring perfect and unforgettable experiences to guests through luxury accommodations, tasty dishes, and dedicated staff.

Services need improving

According to David Ippersiel, general manager of Sheraton Grand Da Nang Resort, besides infrastructure, the novelty and reputation of destinations are important criteria for Indian billionaire couples to choose venues for their wedding celebrations.

As a high-end seaside resort in Hoi An, Palm Garden Resort has hosted many wedding parties of wealthy people from around the world.

Several months earlier, a world-renowned movie star selected the resort as the venue for his wedding party, which was attended by 200 guests.

A resort representative told Tuoi Tre that their top requirement was safety.

Prior to these occasions, guests delegated staff to inspect the venues to ensure the availability of private spaces and to provide event staff with pertinent background information.

Hotels and resorts are required to have response plans in place for emergencies such as fires, explosions, or adverse weather conditions, the representative said.

Many wedding celebrations and international events have been organized in Hoi An and Da Nang as the two localities boast long coastlines and charge reasonable service prices.

The two destinations also meet the requirements set by the organizers of luxury events, including landscapes and diverse sources of food, especially seafood.

Da Nang is close to world cultural heritage sites in Hoi An and My Son, both in central Quang Nam Province, as well as Thua Thien-Hue Province, so visitors can combine attending events and sightseeing.

H.T., who is in charge of business development at an international lodging facility in Quang Nam, which often welcomes super-rich guests, said high-end customers tend to lay down stringent requirements for service.

For them, prices are not a big issue but the satisfaction of their requirements is.

They have a high demand for quietness, privacy, and confidentiality. Food and beverages must meet their standards.

Delegations of politicians often work with local authorities to ensure their safety, while groups of billionaires, actresses, and other world-class stars incline to choose luxury spaces which are next to beaches, T. added.

Getting ready to service VIP guests

Nguyen Son Thuy, director of Indochina Unique Tourist Company, a Hoi An-based travel company, said all regions aspire to host distinguished guests as a testament to their capability to satisfy rigorous standards.

These are also chances to promote their tourism images and services to the elite.

The state should streamline visa application procedures as some countries, such as Thailand and Malaysia, have offered preferential visa policies to VIP guests, Thuy suggested.

Vietnam is currently an emerging destination, so it should absolutely deliberate on these policies, he added.

Tran Van Khoa, CEO of Jack Tran Tours, based in Hoi An, said that safety and humanitarian considerations are top priorities for prominent figures.

Locations visited by the elite must offer uniqueness and distinctiveness.

Tourism offerings should reflect the culture, people, and environment of the localities.

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