Post-Covid, India has emerged as one of the fastest growing source markets for Vietnam: Myter
In
the
first
five
months
of
2023,
141k
Indians
have
visited
Vietnam.
Anticipating
a
record
number
of
Indian
visitors,
The
Anam
Group
is
set
to
launch
Vietnam’s
first
pool-villa-exclusive
resort
in
Phu
Yen
and
AXI
Plaza,
also
an
all-inclusive
convention
centre
in
Cam
Ranh.
In
an
exclusive
interview,
Laurent
Myter,
Group
General
Manager,
The
Anam
Group
shares
more.
Brand
TD:
How
would
you
describe
the
USP
of
the
properties
of
The
Anam
Group?
Laurent
Myter:
Our
uniqueness,
I
would
say,
is
how
we
stayed
away
from
a
cookie-cutter
idea
of
luxury.
The
Anam
Resorts
offer
world-class
hospitality
while
preserving
the
rich
Vietnamese
culture.
Our
vision
was
recognised
by
Small
Luxury
Hotels
of
the
World
(SLH),
and
The
Anam
Mui
Ne
became
the
first
and
only
resort
in
Vietnam
to
be
a
part
of
their
portfolio.
The
Anam
Cam
Ranh,
an
award-winning
seaside
haven,
has
been
among
the
top
25
hotels
in
Southeast
Asia,
as
voted
by
the
readers
of
Condé
Nast.
The
beachfront
property
is
perfect
for
lavish
Indian
weddings
with
200
guests
as
well
as
intimate
celebrations.
Unique
MICE
facilities,
such
as
the
60-seater
3D
movie
theatre
that
can
be
customised
for
high-power
events
are
well
received
by
travel
agents
catering
to
corporate
groups.
We
will
soon
launch
Vietnam’s
first
pool-villa-exclusive
resort
in
Phu
Yen
and
AXI
Plaza,
an
inclusive
convention
centre
next
to
the
Cam
Ranh
property.
Brand
TD:
What
are
the
sustainable
practices
that
The
Anam
Vietnam
follows?
Myter:
Both
our
properties
place
a
strong
emphasis
on
sustainability.
At
The
Anam
Cam
Ranh,
we
have
allocated
8,500
square
metres
of
our
12-hectare
beachfront
property
to
promote
sustainable
farming,
which
serves
as
a
source
of
ingredients
for
our
chefs.
We
have
also
made
eco-conscious
choices,
including
recyclable
glass
bottles,
rice
straws,
and
bamboo
bags.
At
Anam
Mui
Ne,
we
have
taken
concrete
measures
to
reduce
our
carbon
footprint
by
using
solar
power,
locally
sourced
ingredients,
and
repurposing
laundry
water
for
the
gardens.
We
have
introduced
non-toxic,
biodegradable
key
cards
to
replace
polyvinyl
chloride
(PVC)
ones.
These
are
endorsed
by
the
international
non-profit
Forest
Stewardship
Council
(FSC),
which
champions
responsible
forest
management
worldwide.
Brand
TD:
What
category
of
guests
do
you
receive?
Leisure,
business,
NRI,
or
domestic?
Myter:
A
varied
list
of
guests
has
always
been
our
strength
that
we
receive
from
the
leisure,
family,
honeymoon
and
corporate
segments.
Brand
TD:
What
incentives
do
you
offer
to
travel
agents
and
tour
operators?
Myter:
Our
engagement
with
the
travel
industry
has
helped
us
to
elevate
our
positioning
in
the
Indian
market.
We
do
not
believe
in
a
one-size-fits-all
approach,
which
is
why
we
offer
customised
incentives
to
our
trade
partners
based
on
various
factors,
such
as
group
size.
In
addition
to
our
ongoing
support,
which
includes
offering
exclusive
deals
and
assistance
for
their
journeys,
we
recently
invited
eight
luxury
travel
agents
from
Mumbai
to
experience
both
of
our
properties
firsthand.
It
gave
them
a
360
degree
of
the
amenities,
MICE
and
wellness
offerings
and
an
understanding
of
the
properties
to
help
them
create
immersive
itineraries
for
their
clients.
Brand
TD:
What
trends
have
you
been
witnessing
in
the
hospitality
industry
in
Vietnam?
Myter:
Travellers
are
increasingly
seeking
personalised
experiences,
spacious
accommodations,
conducive
work
amenities,
on-site
activities,
as
well
as
sustainability
initiatives.
The
hospitality
industry
in
Vietnam
is
experiencing
substantial
growth,
with
numerous
luxury
hotels
and
resorts
successfully
adapting
to
evolving
market
demands.
There
has
been
a
steady
rise
in
demand
for
travel
experiences
and
exploring
hidden
gems.
Nha
Trang
and
Mui
Ne
in
Phan
Thiet
City
of
Binh
Thuan
province
are
becoming
popular
among
Indian
honeymooners
and
bleisure
travellers.
They
are
choosing
to
immerse
themselves
in
diverse
cultures
and
luxury
offerings,
including
The
Anam
Mui
Ne.
The
Anam
Cam
Ranh
is
preferred
by
high-spending
travellers,
long-stay
vacationers,
and
MICE
groups
due
to
its
expansive
facilities
for
large
gatherings
and
luxury
offerings.
Brand
TD:
How
has
tourism
picked
up
in
Vietnam
post
covid?
Can
you
share
inbound
Vietnam
statistics
for
2023?
Myter:
Following
Vietnam’s
decision
to
permit
quarantine-free
entry
and
reinstate
most
of
its
pre-pandemic
visa
policies,
the
country
experienced
a
significant
surge
in
international
visitors
in
2022
and
2023.
The
Vietnam
National
Authority
of
Tourism
recorded
over
5.5
million
foreign
visitors
in
the
first
six
months
of
2023
crossing
the
total
number
of
international
arrivals
in
2022.
In
the
first
five
months
of
2023,
141k
Indians
have
visited
Vietnam.
With
easy
visa
access
being
a
driving
force,
the
government
aims
to
target 8
million
foreign
tourists
this
year.
Post-Covid,
India
has
emerged
as
one
of
the
fastest
growing
source
markets,
spanning
various
segments,
including
MICE,
bleisure
and
extended
family
vacations.
In
2023,
the
largest
inbound
markets
for
Vietnam
include
South
Korea,
the
United
States,
Thailand,
Cambodia,
Malaysia,
Japan,
Singapore, Australia,
Taiwan,
China,
and
India.
Brand
TD:
Where
did
your
journey
as
a
hotelier
start?
What
advice
would
you
give
to
youngsters
joining
the
field?
Myter:
I
started
my
career
at
The
Schweizerhof,
a
member
of
The
Leading
Hotels
of
the
World,
in
Bern,
Switzerland.
Since
then,
I
have
had
the
privilege
of
working
in
various
hotels
across
the
globe,
such
as
Thailand,
Malaysia,
Indonesia,
Saudi
Arabia,
and
Vietnam.
As
a
hotelier,
I
have
keenly
observed
shifting
dynamics,
particularly
in
the
post-COVID
era,
like
evolving
guest
needs,
diverse
age
demographics,
and
varying
travel
motivations.
The
hospitality
industry
demands
consistently
delivering
heartfelt
services.
I
would
encourage
the
newcomers
to
stay
abreast
of
contemporary
trends,
be
adaptable,
continuously
assess
guest
requirements
and
preferences,
and
even
foresee
their
needs
whenever
possible.
Attention
to
detail
and
a
proactive
problem-solving
mindset
can
contribute
to
success
in
this
industry.
