#iAMHCMC Gazette - August - 2018 by Citypassguide.com

BY LOCALS, FOR LOCALS

7-8-9/2018

#iAMHCMC

By Locals, For Locals

TRAVEL FEATURE 4. Tourism In Vietnam: Numbers and Trends 6. Meet Our Experts 7. Planning Developments for Vietnam Tourism

10. Vietnam Tourism; Past, Present, and Future

14. Vietnam’s Overall Score for Tourism 15. Asian Tourists Top The Charts in Vietnam

16. The Future of Hospitality in Vietnam 18. The Rise in MICE Tourism in Vietnam 20. The Sky’s the Limit: A Quick Look at the Future of Aviation, In and Out of Vietnam

22. Ho Chi Minh City’s Upcoming New Old Airport

23. Hidden Havens; Vietnam’s Up and Coming Destinations

24. Phu Quoc: The Pearl Island 26. The Magic of the Mekong Delta 28. Ho Chi Minh City: Not Yet a Tourism Hub 30. Phan Thiet: Up, Up and Away? 32. The Motto of Nha Trang is More Space,

EDITOR’S NOTE Innovo, the mother company of #iAMHCMC and Citypassguide, was established in 2008 and has been a leading English language publisher and Vietnam’s most comprehensive online and print travel guide ever since. Now in 2018, as we celebrate our ten year anniversary, it is also the right time for us to reconsider our goals for #iAMHCMC. #iAMHCMC has always strived to be different from the other magazines currently on the market, in terms of vision, values, content and design. We know that our readers, educated HCMC professionals, residents and business travellers, crave excellently researched articles that are pertinent to their lives. In addition, our work is elevated with unique design. This year we’ve decided to tighten our focus even more. Instead of a monthly publication, we will now publish quarterly. The length will increase to 52 pages rather than 38-44. Starting in October of this year, our four core central themes will be Travel, Leisure and Events, Food and Beverages, and Education. We are proud to be listed on the first page of Google searches for keywords related to these central themes. In addition, we have exciting news to share about our strategic move into the digital sphere. The #iAMHCMC app is coming soon to Android and iOS. Our app will become your digital concierge in HCMC, bringing you all the top activities, newest restaurants and events in HCMC each week. With this technology we can better serve the needs of the ambitious and talented younger generation of middle-upper class professionals residing in HCMC. #iAMHCMC’s freshly rebranded website is set to launch in the fall. A Vietnamese version, being translated as we speak, will be online before year end. Meanwhile, our existing weekly e-newsletters, will now incorporate an array of subjects instead of just one theme. Last but not least, the #iAMHCMC Facebook group has already launched. Follow us to get the latest news. We hope you enjoy reading our special Travel edition. It will give you a clear idea of why even after ten years in business we remain true to our originality and our dedication to delivering the most thought provoking information on each subject that we cover. All the best,

More Projects

33. Dalat: City of Eternal Spring 34. Tourism and Conservation in Hoi An 35. Da Nang Strives to Make Tourism a Key

Patrick Gaveau CEO HAVE FEEDBACK? CONTACT ME AT MOLLY@INNOVO.VN

Economic Sector

36. Hue: Historical Conservation and Environmental Preservation

37. Hanoi’s Rise to Top Destination 38. Cruising over a Decade of Development in Ha Long

40. Luxury. Should We Lower Our Expectations?

44. The Ethical Dilemma of Ethnic Tourism 46. Trashing Tourism: Travelling in Vietnam and the Litter Problem

FROM OUR PARTNERS 45. Modern Nostalgia and the Spirit of Family at Quan Bui Restaurants

51. Live Music and Lobster at Le Méridien Hotel’s Discovery Brunch

CEO Patrick Gaveau Executive Assistant Thao Dao Finance / Admin Celine Huynh Production Manager Son Nguyen Accountant Minh Huynh BD Manager Benjamin Giroux BD Coordinator Sarah Pham

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Editor Rob van Diesum Content Manager Molly Headley-Benkaci Writers Tran Thi Minh Hieu J.K. Hobson Sivaraj Pragasm Jon Aspin Jesús López-Gómez Mark Gwyther Mervin Lee

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TRAVEL (nhiều tác giả)

Thanh Niên Publishing House 64 Ba Trieu - Hanoi - Vietnam | Tel: (+84 0 24) 3 943 40 44 - 62 63 1719 Publishing Liability: Director - Editor in Chief: Nguyen Xuan Truong | Editor: Ta Quang Huy License Info: Publishing Registration Plan No.: 13-2018/CXBIPH/25-210/TN Publishing Permit No.: 299/QĐ-TN | Issued on 07 June 2018 | ISBN: 978-604-64-9473-7 5,000 copies printed at HCMC Nhan Dan Newspaper Printing Co., Ltd (D20/532P, Hamlet 4, Binh Chanh District, HCMC) No part of this publication may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted, in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording or otherwise, without the prior permission in writing from the publisher.

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TOURISM IN VIETNAM: NUMBERS AND TRENDS Vietnam came in 12th on TripAdvisor’s 2018 list of the Top 25 Destinations in the World. 1 point higher than neighbouring Cambodia.

VND1 MILLION

12.9 MILLION

The amount of the fine a cyclo driver got in May for overcharging tourists. They paid VND1.5 million for a 6-km ride.

Foreign visitors in Vietnam in 2017,

record breaking year tourism. An Bang Beach in Hoi An ranked #22 on TripAdvisor’s 2018 Traveller’s Choice Top 25 Beaches in Asia for the third year in a row.

5.7%

800,000

Japanese visitors came to Vietnam last year compared to 170,772 in 2014.

Increase in European visitors to Vietnam from May 2017 to the same month 2018. The highest share of European travellers came from France at 39.2 percent.

USD3 MILLION USD3 billion is what the city of

4 MILLION The percentage tourism to Vietnam is expected to raise between 2017 and 2018.

Jobs in the Vietnamese tourism sector are projected to be created by 2020 according to a 2017 Grant Thornton report.

Hanoi earned in tourism revenues in 2017 according to The Hanoi Department of Tourism.

3.2 MILLION AIRPLA

TICKE NE TS

PASSPOR

Visitors went to Da Nang in

2017, a 30 % increase from

The number of World Heritage sites located in Vietnam.

4 | iamhcmc.com/gazette

the year prior according

6.7 MILLION International visitors arrived in Vietnam between January and May 2018. The Chinese claimed first place with more than 2 million, while Norway came in last with only 11,000 arrivals according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT).

to official data from VNAT.

1553

is the approximate number of international and domestic flights VietJetAir has scheduled per week.

2.44 MILLION 10,500

Swiss carrier Edelweiss will start service from HCMC to Zurich starting this fall. The move is expected to increase Swiss tourism to Vietnam by over 10,000.

visitors went to the coastal region

2100

of Khanh Hoa where Nha Trang is located in the first five months of 2018.

That is the approximate number of international and domestic flights Vietnam Airlines operates per week.

FOOT BA

500

2018

P D CU RL O W

Vietnamese travellers have purchased airfare to Russia to watch the World Cup games.

4.5 MILLION seats will be added to Vietnam Airlines’ flights during the summer travel period this year.

USD1150

is the amount you’ll pay per night for a premium room at the five star Amanoi Resort located on in Vinh Hy Village on Vietnam’s Nui Chui mountain.

6,500

number of Airbnb listings currently active in Vietnam.

5 63

flights are offered for transit between Da Nang and South Korea weekly.

Singapore, Thailand, Malaysia, Laos and Indonesia are the only 5 countries to have 30 visa exemptions to Vietnam.

Japan, South Korea, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway, Germany, France, Spain, Italy and the UK make up the 10 countries with 15-day or less visa exemptions to Vietnam.

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CAO SON Owner of Paradise Cruises, Ha Long Bay

CARL GAGNON General Manager of Hotel des Arts Saigon

JOHN NGUYEN TUE Owner of Trails of Indochina

OLIVIER REVY General Manager

TRAN THANH DUC Owner at Mango Mango restaurants, Hoi An

HUNG VU Managing Director of HA Travel in Hanoi

BENOIT PERDU Owner of Bassac Cruise and 9 Dragons Mekong Delta Cruise

ASIF MEHRUDEEN

MARION KLEIN Director of Sales and Marketing at Sheraton Saigon LUONG NGOC KHANH General Director of H & K Hospitality MATT MILLARD Owner of Purple Asia

DARREN SZWARCBURG General Manager of Travel Indochina DAVID WICKER General Manager of New World Hotel Saigon

SEAN MULRAINE Owner of Q Bar Hoi An NGUYEN THI HOAN MINH Sales Agent at Ana Mandara Villas Dalat NGUYEN THUY General Manager at Silk Path Hotel Hanoi FRANÇOISE AND MICHEL SCOUR Founders and Managers

ARY ARBANI Marketing and Communications Manager at Six Senses Hotels, Resorts and Spas ASHLEY BIER Sales and Marketing Manager for Vietnam Backpacker Hostels, Saigon JULIA MESNER BURDGE Co-Founder of Zero Waste Saigon MARTIN COOKE Ground Service Manager of Travel Indochina CRAIG DOUGLAS Executive Vice President at Lodgis Hospitality Holdings DUGGY DUGONG Marketing Director of the Phu Quoc Chamber of Commerce

STEVE RAYMOND Retired Hotel General Manager RÉHAHN Photographer and Founder of the Precious Heritage Museum in Hoi An MARK GWYTHER Director at MGT Management Consulting PHIL HOOLIHAN Managing Director of Ethos - Spirit of the Community, a tour operator in Sapa KAI MARCUS SCHRÖTER, MSC General Director at Hospitality Tourism Management (HTM) NICK WADE Assistant General Manager of Khiri Travel, HCMC

REMI FAUBEL General Manager of Novotel Nha Trang MICHELLE VU Sales and Marketing Representative Mango Bay Resort, Phu Quoc

Meet Our Experts We asked 30+ experts working in the fields of tourism, hospitality and food & beverage to give us their insights into the current state of tourism in Vietnam. We asked hard questions and got realistic answers—some good, some bad, almost all hopeful for the future. The in depth articles that you’ll read in the following pages could not have been possible without their extensive knowledge.

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TRAVEL FEATURE

by Patrick Gaveau

#iAMHCMC

Planning Developments for

Vietnam Tourism

Twelve years ago, when I landed in Vietnam, my professional aim was to continue as a tourism consultant for an agency. Before then, my focus in the industry had been on sustainability and marketing master plans for the tourism sector and/ or destinations. Surprisingly, there are still no true marketing agencies in Vietnam and the question of sustainability remains on the forefront.

As one of our Phan Thiet experts stated, “lets focus on quality instead of quantity. The huge numbers of North Asian and Russian visitors to Vietnam often bring too few benefits for local communities. They actually push back some of the more cultured (meaning better behaved and potentially better spending) visitors who will stay away from any destinations subject to the influx of these masses.”

When asked to define “What key actions and/or policies should be put forward for Vietnam to sustain its current tourism growth?”, I enthusiastically jumped in. To do so, I combined my professional experience with the vast feedback received from 16 travel experts and ambassadors for Vietnam.

In line with this recommendation is the proposition made by Ary Arbani, Director of Sales and Marketing for Six Senses to “Get rid of the 15-day “enter without visa” limit for travelers from five European countries only, and extend it to all EU members (plus Norway and Switzerland) for at least 30 days, and extend this visa waiver to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the US. It would increase the number of visitors in preferred markets, the total generated revenues per head and the overall length of stay, especially for visitors coming from long-haul destinations.”

Some of them recommended a partial or even a complete removal of visas to boost arrivals and the expansion of mass tourism, which would be excellent business for most transportation providers and hoteliers. But, the direct and/ or indirect impacts of the influx of these meager spenders on the destinations’ economy, infrastructure, heritage, culture, environment and societies has rarely proven to be constructive. The actual financial returns of mass tourism speak for themselves: would you rather receive 40 million tourists who each spend an average of 400 USD locally over 5 days, or 12 million travellers who spend on average 2000+ USD over 12 days? Apart from the math, there are plenty of benefits associated with fewer visitors who stay longer and who spend significantly more.

Those interested in growth only, should rest assured; tourism in Vietnam as well as mass tourism still have a long way to go. Now that you know why it does make sense to focus on quality vs quantity, let’s try to explain what a sustainable tourism development framework is about. And to do so, I’ll share with you some key ideas from my interview with Matt Millard, director of Purple Asia, who believes we should aim to make Vietnam a world leader in the following areas.

Cultural and Social Sustainability To do so, it’s necessary to retain the cultural authenticity of our towns, cities and rural areas at all costs. Restrict development in any area which is of cultural significance and manage the throughflow of tourists to such areas. Reattach, adapt, implement and innovate global best practices in the preservation of cultural heritage, especially for communities and ethnic people at risk of losing their culture at the hands of tourism. Create more museums, art galleries, natural areas, and public spaces of higher quality. Strictly enforce design rules in all areas where the built environment affects the existing cultural heritage (i.e. EVERYWHERE!). And last but not least, continue to boost Vietnamese cuisine as an essential part of the travel experience.

Environmental Sustainability Immediately and forcefully introduce laws and practices to manage the preservation of the environment in all new and existing developments. Place stringent requirements on the private sector and on local community leadership to reduce energy use. Use clean energy, recycle all waste, process and dispose of effluent correctly and manage waste responsibly, 7

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TRAVEL FEATURE

by Patrick Gaveau

not just within their own properties but within the communities where they operate. Create and manage a national program with satellite branches in all provinces to reduce plastic waste immediately (especially single-use). Create more marine national parks, wildlife reserves, pedestrian and cycle zones, and protected forests of better quality. Stop the over-exploitation of some destinations and implement controlled development policies in line with the destinationâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s carrying capacities.

Economic Sustainability Create and adhere to properly zoned masterplans ensuring that the right mix of products and services are created for the future. Reduce room numbers and building density where appropriate and make it compulsory for developers to contribute to the creation and preservation of natural resources and public areas within their development zone.

Excellence in Hospitality Create government funded (or PPP, PublicPrivate Partnership) initiatives designed to improve the quality of human resources, built environments, entertainment facilities, transportation infrastructure and service and national civic pride to create better travel experiences for visitors to Vietnam. Properly funded global destination marketing, Innovation in visa regulation and removal of

barriers to entry, increased security for tourists in crime hotspots, etc. Obviously, these above categories and listed opportunities are vast, ambitious and attractive ideas. What would it take to deliver these sustainable tourism development objectives by order of importance?

Improved Governance and Finance John Tue, CEO of Trails of Indochina, recommended wisely to create an independent tourism development and promotion organisation cofinanced by the travel industry (private sector) and the administration. The fund

could be allocated by the relevant ministry(ies), the tourism visas revenues, a new tax raised on all room bookings per night at 3 to 5 star hotels across Vietnam, and a noticeable contribution made by each participating province. The latter is essential for cohesive and effective coordinated works at the local and national level. Obviously, the total allocated budget should be in line with the long list of goals.

Actionable Planning and Marketing Once in place, this new organisation would begin with a vast research initiative so that it could begin to define its long term goals (40 to 50 years) as well as its attached 5-10 year implementation strategy. A well-designed marketing plan would be included, and would need to be elaborated upon in collaboration with the relevant local and international tourism stakeholders. Findings may include the setup of Vietnamese tourism boards worldwide, increased sales and marketing activities, participation in trade shows, networking events, roadshows, media, PR and further promotional activities. Other recommendations may contain the organisation of large international events within Vietnam to increase worldwide visibility and awareness, intensify focus on Vietnamese cuisine, better market segmentation and diversification, build-up of qualitative content and information solutions before and after arrival, use of existing digital and marketing solutions to better promote the destination

8 | iamhcmc.com/gazette

TRAVEL FEATURE

by Mark Gwyther

services and to engage with current visitors or those who are still considering Vietnam. All of that and more, so that we may raise Vietnam’s image, attractiveness and recognition worldwide.

Better Educational Systems The youth in both cities and in rural areas should have opportunities to learn how to speak more foreign languages, and not only English. Fortunately, this objective is in line with the current educational goals set by the ministry. As recently reported, results are below expectations, especially in remote locations where education is most needed and most lacking. Understanding others (foreign visitors) and improving verbal communications are a must to raise the quality of encounters, services and experiences that travellers seek. Furthermore, let’s educate the people nationwide about their history/ies, traditions/ culture and teach them to be proud of it.

Increased Professional Training Better training of human resources for the service sector is a must. The few existing hospitality schools cannot cope with the current pace of developments. A true “dual system” is recommended, where students can attend the school and at the same time work in the travel/hospitality/F&B sector. The curriculum of these schools should be standardised nationwide and incorporate suggestions from foreign hospitality schools and foreign managed five-star hotels and resorts. Ideally, stronger

collaborations must be developed between some leading hospitality schools worldwide to raise the standards for many young professionals and to ensure that graduates of such schools meet the true demands of the industry.

Support for Preservation and Maintenance Preserving the historical structures, landmarks and attractions that remain is essential for the future of tourism in Vietnam. Singapore realized late that the preservation of historical buildings and its associated areas (Chinatown, for example) was an important part of making the destination attractive for visitors. To achieve this goal, creating an independent agency responsible for the conservation and maintenance of the country’s historical monuments, landmarks and attractions would make sense. Simply because too many historic monuments are falling apart or being renovated inappropriately. On the nature side of things, local governments and tourism professionals and officials must pay increased attention to the environment and pass effective laws against dumping garbage, especially in the ocean. This is where urgent concerted actions is necessary for controlling the current vast beach pollution we face.

Improved Infrastructures Vietnam should invest in more and better airports, because many have reached their full capacity already. Mass public transportation (i.e. metro)

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will surely ease congestion once completed. The limited and poor quality roads we use are still a major concern since it often takes too long to reach most destinations. Sidewalks clearance is another important issue affecting the travellers experience. If you can’t walk to discover a destination, how much fun would it be to visit it? Peter Gerhäuser, the GM of Pandanus Resort believes we should “strive to increase road safety, educate people to respect traffic rules, and invest furthermore in the railway system.” Steve Raymond also reported that further improvements must be made because “the electricity goes off constantly” in Phan Thiet. “Drainage on the roadsides are often missing and there is nowhere for the water to go to during a rain storm; it results in flooding.” Further works must be undertaken to improve access and amenities around museums, public attractions or landmarks, so that visitors can learn, interact and explore Vietnamese culture and history properly. We could continue to cover many relevant subjects but I will conclude by saying the last critical issues that are much needed are improved statistical systems and data, so that we can effectively measure how tourism is being consumed in Vietnam. And the final and most important point, is about the Vietnamese people. They should be at the center of any successful strategy, simply because most of the population is hopeful, positive, kind, genuine and often open to differences. This alone makes Vietnam a very special place for most visitors to experience as they often miss out upon such essentials for well-being at home.

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TRAVEL FEATURE

by Mark Gwyther

Vietnam Tourism; Past, Present, and Future Tourism to Vietnam can be broken down into three phases. First came the adventure-tourists in the late 1980s. Then the mass-tourist phase we find ourselves in now, with planeloads coming from Asia, Russia and the West, lured by cheap flights and affordable resorts. The challenge now is how Vietnam can ensure sustainability and healthy growth. “Vietnam. It grabs you and doesn’t let you go. Once you love it, you love it forever.” - Anthony Bourdain

The First Generation – Adventure Tourism If you are reading this article in Vietnam, there is a fair chance it is in part because of Anthony Bourdain. As Vietnam slowly opened its doors to the world during the last few years of the 20th century, celebrity chef and author Anthony Bourdain epitomised the country’s first generation of tourism: adventurous Westerners with backpacks travelling halfway around the world to explore the sights, sounds and tastes of an exotic country. Only 20 years ago, Vietnam received a meagre 1.5 million international visitors. These early adventure travellers increased in numbers over the next decade and as they 10 | iamhcmc.com/gazette

explored the country, their favourite places became Vietnam’s first generation of tourist locations. By 2008, arrivals nearly tripled. Of course not all were these adventure travellers: Asian businesspeople, Chinese cross-border shoppers, veterans of the war and Russian oil expats were also in the mix. It was not all smooth sailing. During the last decade of the 20th century and the first decade of the 21st century, growth was not linear or even a certainty. The SARS scare of 2003 reduced the total inbound visitors nearly 8% from the year before, and the Thailand political unrest in 2009 affected the entire region, dropping the number of arrivals to Vietnam in 2009 by more than 10% from the year before. Despite the ups and downs, businesses serving these adventure tourists multiplied as savvy Vietnamese saw the profitability of focusing on foreign visitors. A small number of foreigners

fell in love with the country (or someone) and became expats, often opening a business for the adventure travellers who followed. Inside the cities, Pham Ngu Lao (Ho Chi Minh) and the French Quarter (Hanoi) became known as “the backpacker area”. Outside of these two major cities, travel was difficult in the early days and many of the first-generation locations arose because they were accessible. Phan Thiet/Mui Ne was the first spot where Highway 1A meets the ocean. Nha Trang and Danang/Hoi An had military airports converted to civilian airports which increased access. Adventure tourism is not unique to Vietnam; it is often associated with developing countries and it often comes with problems. Ironically, adventure travellers en masse tend to destroy what they love. First-generation destinations are almost always not prepared for the growth in tourism. Adequate waste disposal, business regulations and security never quite catch up with demand. Once shops, restaurants and

by Mark Gwyther

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TRAVEL FEATURE

Sapa

hotels are built along the roads, improving transportation infrastructure becomes much more difficult and costly. Many firstgeneration locations in Vietnam still struggle with these issues. Vietnam will continue to be an adventure travellerâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dream in the foreseeable future. New locations such as Sapa are being discovered (and ruined) by travellers trying to get off the proverbial beaten path. Infrastructure improvements and a loosening of visa requirements will lower the learning curve, making the country more accessible to more people looking for that once-in-alifetime experience.

The Second Generation â&#x20AC;&#x201C; Mass Tourism

INTERNATIONAL ARRIVALS BY COUNTRY 4,500,000 4,000,000 3,500,000 3,000,000 2,500,000 2,000,000 1,500,000 1,000,000 500,000

In January of this year, Vietnam received nearly as many international visitors as all of 1998, but not because of a huge increase in adventure travellers. A recent seismic shift in the type of visitors changed the industry. To illustrate

2008 China England

2009

2010

South Korea Germany

2011

20122 USA

013

2014

2015

Australia

2016

2017 France

Russia 11

#iAMHCMC

TRAVEL FEATURE

by Mark Gwyther

Phu Quoc

the point, only eight years ago nearly as many Americans visited Vietnam as Chinese. Now the Chinese visitors outnumber Americans by almost six to one. The second generation of tourists to Vietnam are the new Asian middle-class from nearby countries. The growth of people with disposable income in Asia is unprecedented in the history of humankind, surpassing postWorld War II United States. That leads to interesting questions about where those new American middle-class consumers travelled and what they did. The answer is they overwhelmingly headed south to Mexico, a warm country with beautiful beaches, where Americans had more purchasing power, and the culture was interesting but not too exotic. By the end of the century Mexico was a top-10 international destination with 90% of arrivals originating from its northern neighbour. Vietnam is positioned almost exactly the same geographically to China as Mexico is to the United States. Mexico’s tourism industry is an excellent guide for understanding the past, present and future development of tourism in Vietnam. 12 | iamhcmc.com/gazette

Tourism in Mexico began with adventure travellers, just like Vietnam. As the numbers increased, Mexico learned from the problems first generation tourism hotspots like Acapulco encountered. Rather than continue to let development occur naturally, it allocated huge tracts of land for large developers in designated locations and provided incentives to build mammoth modern resorts. Mexico invested its oil revenues to develop the infrastructure surrounding these designated tourism locations. Unlike adventure travellers, the new middle-class travellers preferred resorts with walls that kept them inside and the locals outside. This successful strategy resulted in Cancun developing 26,500 hotel rooms and welcoming six million visitors a year by 2005. Given these developments in Vietnam as well, it might lose some of the less masstourism-inclined visitors to less developed neighbouring countries, but many will be motivated to find less-known locations in Vietnam. An indirect benefit could be that tourism revenue may spread to some of the poorer areas of the country.

Vietnam’s second-generation of tourism is just beginning, despite tremendous growth in the last few years. The government is targeting 20 million international arrivals by the end of this decade. It is likely that nearly 30 million visitors will come to Vietnam by 2022. Destinations such as Phu Quoc, Cam Ranh and Danang are turning into Asia’s versions of Cancun and Cabos. Individually, these travellers might not spend as much money as more experienced travellers, but their sheer numbers make up for that and more. Additionally, the environmental and social impact is contained in a proportionately small area. For a developing country like Vietnam, the economic impact might be great enough to push the country towards the top end of the middle-income scale. For that to happen, the government’s proceeds from tourism should be reinvested back into programs that offer a high rate of return such as better infrastructure and education. While that may be uncertain, what is certain is that investors, developers and the Vietnamese government will continue to focus on this growing market segment.

by Mark Gwyther

TRAVEL FEATURE

#iAMHCMC

Ha Long Bay

The Third Generation – Sustainable Tourism

Once people travel internationally a few times, they become more adventurous and look for quality experiences outside the resort wall. The third-generation of tourism arises when the experience or activity is integrated into the surrounding environment. Specific cultural, geographic and historic properties are integral to the vacation. Companies engaging in thirdgeneration tourism act in a more sustainable manner since their business model depends on the surrounding environment remaining relatively the same. This is also what industry experts mean when they discuss diversifying tourism products. Rather than focusing on a geographic market, the focus is on people from around the globe interested in some activity. Third generation tourists are searching for specific experiences and thus are willing to pay more. Price becomes less of an issue. This is the holy grail of tourism. How will tourism companies in Vietnam take

this next step? Culturally, Vietnamese food is gaining an excellent reputation for being both tasty and healthy. Foodies all over the world might be interested in coming to Vietnam to experience their favourite dishes cooked and served authentically, especially if they know it is safe to eat. While an adventure traveller is comfortable eating on the street without guides, third-generation travellers need value added by a company that understands their needs. They pay more and expect more. Home stays and indigenous villages also offer a view into Vietnam’s unique culture. Vietnam has great potential for medical tourism as a low-cost alternative to Western medical procedures. Vietnam’s incredible and diverse geography is another advantage companies may use to entice sophisticated travellers. Photography, adventure sports and spelunking are just some of the activities that potentially could bring vacationers from around the world. Historical tourism will be a tougher road. Vietnam’s recent past damaged or destroyed many of its ancient sites. Although many Cham structures still stand, most could use

renovation and support services to make the experience better. While war tourism is not a big market, maybe a small niche might arise for tours focused on the recent past wars. The Cu Chi Tunnels, after all, are a popular attraction. The evolution of tourism in Vietnam can and will happen concurrently. Third generation tourism businesses already operate quietly. Examples include the Amano’i Resort in Ninh Thuan Province which offers spa and wellness services to the super rich and famous. Eco-lodges in both the North and South try and co-exist with locals outside of the popular destinations. It will be up to individual businesses like these to move past the mega resort model since the Vietnamese government’s focus should be directed towards the low hanging fruit from the North. But Mexico’s tourism industry learned that as Americans gained more travel experience they eventually desired more than a beach and buffet. The new Asian middle-class travellers will also evolve past mass tourism, and those working in the tourism industry in Vietnam need to be prepared for the shift and get ahead of the curve. 13

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TRAVEL FEATURE

by Patrick Gaveau

Vietnam’s Overall Score for Tourism

Access to qualitative, in depth tourism statistics is limited, not only in Vietnam, but worldwide. As a result, a true understanding of the behaviors of inbound travellers within Vietnam remain scarce. There are no detailed guidelines illustrating the profiles, interests and spending habits of these travellers, and such basic essentials are a must for any good destination marketing organisation (DMO). The number of well managed destinations

worldwide who do collect the necessary data are scarce. Most marketers will tell you that if you don’t know your visitors’ needs it is more challenging to offer an effective and comprehensive strategy to better serve them. This is why data collection is so central for anyone trying to objectively create a sustainable development strategy for the tourism sector in Vietnam.

The below evaluation about Vietnam’s success as a tourism destination is certainly not a quantitative analysis. It is simply the average rating of the responses received from 12 highly qualified Vietnam tourism experts. If the gold standard is 5/5 for Singapore due to its its range and quality of attractions, then we might understand more clearly why Vietnam receives a 2.5/5 only.

Using a scale in which 0 = Substandard and ranges to 5 = Excellent.

Destination Mix Criterias

Ratings (0 > 5)

Destination Quality and Quality Assurance Criteria

Range and quality of attractions

Ambiance and appearance

Events, activities, and experiences

Quality assurance and consumer protection

Hotels and other accommodations

Quality of life (QOL)

Restaurants and food services

Destination Management Criteria

Transportation and mobility

Tourism planning

Infrastructure

Accountability and performance management

Hospitality resources and visitors

Funding sources and budget allocation

Destination Recognition and Reputation Criteria

Ratings (0 > 5)

Destination Sustainability and Tourism Impacts Criteria

Reputation

Sustainable tourism policies and plans Ratings (0 > 5)

Sustainability: Economic

Information and distribution channels

Sustainability: Social-Cultural

Destination marketing

Sustainability: Environmental

The above Gold Standards table was created by the Sustainable Tourism Council and proposed as the Best Destinations Evaluation Criteria and Standards. 14 | iamhcmc.com/gazette

Ratings (0 > 5)

Community and stakeholder involvement

Recognition, popularity, and awareness

Destination Information and Marketing Criteria

Ratings (0 > 5)

by Mark Gwyther

TRAVEL FEATURE

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Asian tourists

top the charts in Vietnam It is clear that tourism to Vietnam has skyrocketed in the last few years, but have you ever been curious about who is actually coming and why? Read on to find out why China and South Korea account for more than half of all inbound travellers to Vietnam.

Foreign Arrivals by Region

14,000,000

12,000,000

10,000,000

8,000,000

Vietnam is not “once-in-a-lifetime” to Asian travellers. It is a nearby retreat with a familiar culture.

6,000,000

4,000,000

2,000,000

0 North Asia

than do Westerners who come to Vietnam. Travelling halfway around the world to an exotic location means authentic adventure. With high costs and long distances before arrival, Western travellers try to experience as much as possible, especially the experiences that cannot be found at home. Adventure travellers are typically experienced travellers in small groups and without children. The nearby Asian middle-class travellers completely differ in their vacation desires. Arriving in large tour groups or with the entire family, the trip to Vietnam is considered a low-cost option in foreign travel.

2011 Europe

Russia

2017 North America

If a picture is worth a thousand words, then the chart below says everything you need to know about the state of international tourism in Vietnam. The number of inbound international arrivals to Vietnam more than doubled in the last six years, but over 80 percent of the growth has come from two countries: China and South Korea. In May of this year, travellers from those two countries accounted for more than half of the total inbound travelers to Vietnam, the first month this has ever happened. Unfortunately, for someone who wants to write an interesting article on the evolution of tourism in Vietnam, the reason for the growth is not some exciting new strategy or a genius development plan. The causes are simply economics and geography. Economically speaking, South Korea and China had mammoth increases in the number of new middle-class families the last 10 years. International travel is a result of disposable income; research

South East Asia

Aus/NZ

Other

shows people begin travelling overseas when their income tops US$1,500/month. In South Korea’s case, the average income increased to a point where a majority of the population achieved it. China’s average income is still well below the threshold, but its population is enormous, so even a small increase in the middle-class results in millions more tourists. A second economic factor is the difference in income levels between those countries and Vietnam. Travellers from North Asia have more purchasing power when travelling to Vietnam than they have in more developed countries or their own. In other words, relatively cheaper golf, food, shopping and hotel rooms. Geographically, Vietnam is positioned perfectly for these new middle-class consumers. Vietnam represents a cheap alternative that is nearby, has an extensive coastline, and warm temperatures all year. Obviously, these new middle-income Asians have different purchasing considerations

The significant change in customers since 2011 completely transformed tourism in Vietnam. To satisfy these new traveller’s tastes, investors flocked to the beach cities near the international airports. The beaches of Ha Long Bay, Danang, Nha Trang, Cam Ranh and Phu Quoc are filling with resorts, condotels and second-home villas. Other popular tourist locations had significant makeovers. BaNa Hills outside of Danang may be the most symbolic example of this paradigm shift. Ten years ago, it was an isolated nature reserve with old French chalets. Today a cable car transports thousands of visitors each day to the top where a mini-Disneyland overlooks new golf courses. Everyone seems to have an opinion about where Vietnam’s tourism industry should go from here. Whatever those opinions are, nothing is going to stop this trend. The estimated fiveand-a-half million Chinese visiting Vietnam in 2018 are only the tip of a very large iceberg. As stated above, China still has several years to go before even half its population achieves middle-class status. Growth will accelerate as hundreds of millions of potential tourists book outbound trips. Currently, Vietnam’s market share of China’s outbound travellers is very small. Between the growth of the market and growth of market share, Vietnam is going to have as many Chinese tourists as its infrastructure can support. And we haven’t even mentioned India yet. 15

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TRAVEL FEATURE

by Molly Headley-Benkaci

The Social Club roofbar at the Hotel des Arts

The Future of Hospitality in Vietnam Hotels are popping up everywhere from Hanoi to HCMC to Phu Quoc. Is the rapid growth setting Vietnam on a course for burn-out? Advice from three experts in the hospitality sector show how to keep Vietnam a paradise for everyone—locals and tourists alike.

As Tourism Increases so do Fears of Market Overload

Head 24 floors up to the Social Club roof bar on the top of the Hotel des Arts, and there, buoyed by the beat of the DJ’s music, you’ll find a landscape of night sky, city lights and hotels as far as the eye can see.

The customer demographic across Vietnam is predominantly Asian (Korean, Japanese, Vietnamese, Chinese, Taiwanese) with Australians, Europeans and North Americans rounding things off. This is generally similar to the rest of Vietnam other than Phu Quoc and the central coast where there is a stronger Russian presence. The travellers also include a growing number of Vietnamese domestic travellers, who increased from 17 percent to 20.4 percent between 2014 and 2016.

In Vietnam it seems that every day a new hotel chain is breaking ground. The Mandarin Oriental is set to open in 2020 in Saigon, while Best Western plans to launch a new resort in Phu Quoc after beginning its Vietnam expansion in Vung Tau in 2017. International hotel brands have made Vietnam a key area of focus.

response to emailed questions that within the cities there has been “a reasonable increase of new 5-star properties. But the huge growth has happened in places like Phu Quoc, Danang, Hoi An, Qui Nhon as well as destinations such as Sapa and Ha Long Bay.”

“The middle class is growing,” Wicker wrote, “and so is the new-found discovery of travel—more planes flying to more locations within Vietnam, more people have cars, local tour operators are able to secure very attractive prices for domestic and regional travel, which fuels more demand.”

This is unsurprising when you consider the numbers. In 2017, market researcher Statista reported that the hotel sector pulled in more than US$391 million in revenues in Vietnam and is predicted to grow 15.9 percent year on year. By 2022, the earnings will more than double to US$890 million. #iAMHCMC interviewed the general managers of three top hotels in HCMC to get their take. David Wicker, the GM of the New World hotel in Saigon, has seen the changes over the six years he’s been living in Vietnam. He wrote in 16 | iamhcmc.com/gazette

Sofitel Saigon

Carl Gagnon, the GM of the MGallery Collection’s Hotel des Arts Saigon, said that “[domestic travellers] are one of the biggest focuses for Hotel des Arts. It’s a good position to be in because if ever the world becomes more precarious in a certain region, then it is important to have your local market support you.”

TRAVEL FEATURE

by Molly Headley-Benkaci

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Olivier Revy, Sofitel Saigon Plaza’s GM, has worked for 25 years in Asia and has some qualms about how quickly the hotel industry is growing. In China he saw first-hand how an overload in hotels can work against the interests of the industry. Revy said that “[Vietnam] has to be very careful that the supply of rooms is not too much compared to the demand. In Singapore [the authorities] spent years controlling the hotel construction and in the end a city with a certain order was created. In Vietnam for the moment there is not a lot being controlled.” All three GMs agreed that Vietnam is far from the saturation point, for now. Gagnon said that “it’s fine for five years at least. It’s just the beginning for tourism in Vietnam. When you start seeing all these top hotel brands coming to the country, it means the country is serious for business.” The statistics agree. According to a 2017 report by Grant Thornton there was a 5.6 percent increase in occupancy rates between 2015 and 2016 and an 8 percent increase in RevPAR (revenue per available room). This spring the Sofitel Saigon Plaza’s occupancy rate averaged close to 80 percent. But, that is not to say that there are not problems in the foreseeable future.

Well Trained Employees; Hard to Hold on to Wicker wrote that hotel training “remains well below international standard as a result of a combination of cultures coming to terms with modernity and change. There is still a negative overtone that must change—‘it’s alright if things go wrong, or if I made a mistake, or if the customers are not totally happy with some aspects of service delivery. After all, this is Vietnam!’” Another issue that both Revy and Gagnon mentioned is the fact that once staff have been trained to the level expected of a 5-star hotel, they can be poached by other hotels. “Unfortunately, this is something that happens a lot so we have to be very fast with our succession plan”, Gagnon said. “In more remote areas like Phu Quoc and Sapa, the market is developing fast. There is not always a sufficient local resource to fulfill the staff needs.

New World Hotel Saigon

So then people need to be brought in but once the employees get things figured out they get poached by other hotels.” However, there is a positive development in hotel training in Vietnam. Beyond the big names in schools like Vatel there are some smaller schools that are working to train young people who would normally not have access to education and stable career paths. STREETS International teaches kids from the streets how to work in the culinary and service industry. Their students are then placed in 4-5-star hotels. KOTO, which stands for Know One Teach One, is a social enterprise that also helps disadvantaged youth succeed in the hospitality sector.

How to Deal with Waste Management Both Hotel des Arts and Sofitel are part of the AccorHotels Group, which has the biggest footprint in hospitality in Vietnam. Some of the group’s current holdings include Novotel, Ibis, Mercure, and Pullman, while more Accor properties are being planned. There are already 30 Accor hotels in Vietnam, with 15 more soon to come, Gagnon shared. And what all these properties have in common is the focus on sustainability. The GMs agreed that waste management is a trend that should be implemented industry-wide. AccorHotels has put into effect a program called Planet 21 which aims to make the hotels more eco-friendly.

There is an enormous amount of waste in the food and beverage portion of the industry. The Hotel des Arts follows a program created by Winnow Solutions, which weighs each amount of food that is not consumed in order to create a running tally of what is consistently being wasted. Chefs can then gear their menus towards sustainability.

“Customers need to understand that quantity doesn’t always rhyme with quality”, Gagnon said. “Some guests do not understand this approach. They want kilometres of food and mountains of abundance. But the Hotel des Arts is not the place for this type of consumption. We’re about filling the garbage as little as possible.” Wicker offers this word of advice to the hospitality industry: “Don’t reinvent the wheel—follow, copy, adapt to similar plans that have succeeded in Thailand, Singapore and Malaysia.” And for locations like Phu Quoc and Nha Trang, which risk sharp growth followed by a tourism burn-out, Gagnon and Revy agree that the hotels, competitors or not, need to band together along with the local authorities and NGOs to create a reasonable growth plan. As Gagnon put it, “The beauty of the country is easy to break. And if you break it, you break the ‘golden goose’ for everyone. A sustainable approach to the environmental impact is not optional.” 17

#iAMHCMC

by JK Hobson

TRAVEL FEATURE

Rise in MICE Tourism in Vietnam

The development of MICE tourism (meetings, incentives, conferencing and exhibitions) is expanding quickly in Vietnam as businesses look to the country as a viable destination where they can send partners and employees as an incentive for working with them, or to hold events, conferences and exhibitions about their latest products and services. The development of MICE Tourism (meetings, incentives, conferencing and exhibitions) is expanding quickly in Vietnam as businesses look to the country as a viable destination where they can send partners and employees as an incentive for working with them or to hold events, conferences and exhibitions about their latest products and services. MICE travel consists of the following components.

Meeting vs Conference Travel The International Association of Professional Congress Organizers’ definition of a “meeting” is any number of people coming together in one place for a particular activity. This can either be a one-time or a recurring activity. A conference is similar to a meeting, but the term usually connotes a specific objective 18 | iamhcmc.com/gazette

and informational exchange. A conference is typically a larger gathering.

Incentive Travel Incentive travel is travel that is granted to an employee as a reward. It does not usually involve an information exchange or a specific educational component. It is generally a leisure vacation offered to an employee as a means of rewarding good performance, often involving the family of the employee or a group of high performing workers.

Exhibitions Travel An exhibition is an event in which products or services are presented and are usually the focal point of the event. Conferences may feature an

exhibition as a component. Often, businesses use exhibitions to court new clients and introduce their newest offerings to clients or buyers. According to Vietnam.net, surveys show that there are more than five million meetings, conferences and events globally which consume a total of up to US$7 billion annually. The United States hosts the majority of these conferences and events, but Southeast Asia is quickly developing its own market for MICE tourism, with Singapore and Thailand leading the way and Vietnam making great strides in becoming a prime destination. Marion Klein, the Director of Sales and Marketing at the Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers, gives #iAMHCMC her view on the socio-economic factors in Vietnam that are attracting MICE tourism. “This is a new and emerging market which stimulates integration. There are many potential developments, with many opportunities to promote to overseas markets. In addition, the infrastructure and transportation systems have made great strides thanks to the special

by JK Hobson

TRAVEL FEATURE

#iAMHCMC

attention and motivation of the city and local authorities, such as the increase in the number of domestic and international routes contributing to tourism growth. After four years of construction, the first ever metro line in HCMC has completed more than 70 percent of the schedule, the entire 17 km of overhead railway is expected to be operational by 2018.”

Vietnam - A Hub for Business Travellers Vietnam has already hosted sizeable events, such as APEC 2017, the ASEAN Summit in 2010, the ASEAN Tourism Forum-ATD in 2009, and the 18th Global Women’s Summit. China, South Korea, Japan and Malaysia have been mostly responsible for the rise in MICE tourism in Vietnam, with Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City as the most popular destinations. Statistics from McKinsey show that 17 percent of all tourists who traveled to Ho Chi Minh City did so for business purposes, which is 14-15 percent more than any other country in the region. As general tourism is increasing in cities like Da Nang and Phu Quoc, those places are also beginning to open up to the MICE market. Klein continues, “We all know that Vietnam is fast developing with emerging MICE destinations like Da Nang and Phu Quoc. We believe that these cities will help [make] Vietnam even stronger with MICE

business thanks to more connections to the international markets.”

Often, MICE tourists travel in large groups and are also known for consuming more than other tourists. David Wicker, General Manager of the New World Saigon Hotel, explains, “MICE tourists are mostly on a company account for a sizable portion of travel-related expense, and are most likely limited to generally a shorter stay with limited ‘free’ time, as numerous day and evening activities would be catered. [This] leaves all logistic issues to organisers and not the

individuals, whereas other tourists most likely pay their own way for everything from their home point and back and may have flexible travel plans within Vietnam. They most likely have larger personal disposable spending.”

Planning for Progress Although Wicker is hopeful about the future of MICE tourism in Vietnam, he also feels that there is some work to be done so that the services provided can meet international standards. “The human resource factors from the early ’80s until now still lack an understanding of the international world around them, and while they exude enthusiasm and smiles, many standard operating procedures are not understood, in delivery of services. However, visitors are easily enamoured by their ‘innocence’ or simplistic approach to life…” Vietnam’s relatively stable political system makes it a strong candidate for companies seeking to hold conferences and events. According to the UK’s Department of International Trade, “Vietnam is one of the more politically stable countries in Southeast Asia. Its leadership does not welcome dissent. Internal conflict is rare…” This, along with the aforementioned factors, puts Vietnam on the map for companies developing MICE tourism as a prime destination. As a result, MICE tourism is expected to expand greatly in Vietnam in the coming years. 19

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TRAVEL FEATURE

by Mervin Lee

The Sky’s the Limit:

A Quick Look at the Future of Aviation, In and Out of Vietnam

A summary of developments in Vietnam’s airport and aviation industry. Tan Son Nhat International Airport is facing growing constraints with expansion being difficult due to surrounding urban density. To ease the load, Long Thanh International Airport has been confirmed and will be built 40 km away in neighbouring Dong Nai Province. Nha Trang and Cam Ranh Bay will soon benefit from a new international terminal with new international direct-flight routes planned. Authorities in Hanoi are pushing for the expansion of Noi Bai International Airport. Vietnam’s economy is growing fast. Prime minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc expressed optimistically that GDP growth in 2018 may even hit 6.7 percent, a consistent increase over 2016 and 2017. With heightened foreign investment comes an Achilles heel that needs to be mended as quickly as possible: demands in aviation have risen starkly and the government is scrambling to improve pre-existing infrastructure and create new solutions. In the vibrant South, the beloved but rather antiquated Tan Son Nhat International Airport (IATA: SGN) has served Ho Chi Minh City since the 1930s. To ease traffic flow to the Saigon airport, talks to begin construction of the planned Long Thanh International Airport (IATA: LON) in neighbouring Dong Nai province have restarted. 20 | iamhcmc.com/gazette

Cuong Thanh*, lead designer for a local architectural firm, agreed that a new international airport would definitely reduce Tan Son Nhat Airport’s current strain. He was, however, concerned about the distance between the newly proposed airport and the CBD. “The distance may not be an issue for international flights, but it’s not going to be feasible for domestic flights”, he said. “I think they need to build a metro to connect Saigon’s main city area and Long Thanh airport.” In a similar tune, construction of the nearby Phan Thiet Airport (IATA: PHH) continues and the initial completion estimate of 2018 has been delayed until 2020. Phan Thiet Airport is approximately equidistant between Phan Thiet City & the popular beach resort town Mui Ne. Upon full completion, Long Thanh International

Airport hopes to handle 100 million passengers and five million tons of cargo annually. The beach resort cities in central Vietnam are also expecting a renaissance in terms of aviational convenience. Cam Ranh International Airport (IATA: CXR) which serves both Cam Ranh Bay and Nha Trang City is ready to open a newly built international terminal. Tourist arrivals from China have risen 400 percent between 2016 and 2017 and local authorities hope that a new terminal will handle arrivals more effectively and attract new direct-flight routes from other countries. Currently, direct flights from Kuala Lumpur and Incheon are available along with seasonal flights from a number of cities in China and Russia. The new terminal is planned to expand the coverage to other promising locations such as Singapore and Japan. In march this year, the Municipal Committee Secretary of Da Nang, Truong Quang Nghia, expressed his concerns about increased air traffic during a meeting with the Ministry of Transport. Air travel arrivals to Da Nang City have been increasing steadily at 38-40

by Mervin Lee

TRAVEL FEATURE

#iAMHCMC

percent per annum. Based on this prediction, Da Nang International Airport (IATA: DAD) will reach its maximum annual capacity of 30,000,000 arrivals within two years. In November last year, Da Nang hosted the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Economic Leaders’ Week and expects foreign investment to increase rapidly in the near future. Further north in Hanoi, numerous policymakers have been voicing the urgency to conduct land clearance and acquisition in advance even before conclusive plans for expanding Noi Bai International Airport (IATA: HAN) are made.

“If the government does not invest in the expansion of Noi Bai Airport within three to five years there may very well be a major crisis”, said Hanoi’s Municipal Committee’s Deputy Secretary and Chairperson of Hanoi’s People’s Committee, Nguyen Duc Chung. “As such, Hanoi suggests that land acquisition should occur a step ahead of expansion plans for convenience of investment and as well as for cost-saving reasons”, he said. In a similar mood, authorities of Hai Phong province are urging VietJet Aviation Joint Stock Company, commonly known simply as Vietjet Air, to proceed with the investment for the expansion of Cat Bi International Airport’s (IATA: HPH) Terminal 2. VietJet operates a

majority of flights inbound & outbound of HPH with numerous domestic destinations and regular flights to Thailand & Korea. Vietjet is slated to provide 30% of the grand 6000 billion VND that will be utilized for this expansion. Not too far away in Bai Tu Long archipelago which neighbours the world-famous UNESCO Heritage Site Halong Bay, Van Don International Airport (IATA: VDO) is entering the final stages of phase 1 construction and authorities are estimating it be fully-operational in October this year. Plans to revive the unused Na San Airport (IATA: SQH) which serves Son La Province have been officially abandoned earlier this

year. As such, Dien Bien Phu Airport (IATA: DIN), 110 km away from Na San Airport, will remain the sole choice of domestic air travel for most inhabitants who reside in the large northwestern province. Currently, Vietnam has a grand total of 21 active airports serving both international and domestic flights. Vietnamese authorities hope to raise this number to 28 in 2030. With discussions of the semi-mythical 1500-km North-South High Speed Rail project resurfacing, will Vietnam’s domestic aviation plans remain cast in stone? Time will tell. *pseudonym

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TRAVEL FEATURE

by Sivaraj Pragasm

Ho Chi Minh City’s Upcoming

New Old Airport

Originally built for a capacity of 25 million passengers a year, the airport is currently serving 36 million passengers and although announcements were made regarding the brand-new Long Thanh international airport in Dong Nai Province almost two years ago, there haven’t been any feasibility studies conducted and no guarantees that the airport will actually be ready by 2025.

A Necessary Expansion In the meantime, Vietnam’s government has tasked the Transport Ministry to execute a proposal set forth by French consulting firm ADPI, a subsidiary of Aeroports de Paris Group. The firm, responsible for the airports in Beijing, Seoul and Dubai, has proposed a plan to expand the present airport by building a new 20-hectare terminal that will be able to serve an additional 20 million passengers a year by the year 2025.

Ho Chi Minh city (HCMC) is expected to receive 60- 70 million passengers a year, but its current airport is already overloaded at 36 million passengers. What’s going to happen?

Airways that now only operates four flights a week instead of the previous seven.

HCMC’s Tan Son Nhat Airport has been the bugbear of many travellers over the years— from frequent flooding due to its trash laden drainage system to announcements by foreign airlines that the number of flights to and from the airport would be cut, as in the case of Etihad

Although it’s one of the only cities in the world where its international airport is barely a half-hour ride away from the city centre, the situation at HCMC’s airport has been much talked about mainly due to its overcrowding and frequent flight delays.

So Near, Yet So Far

Phong Nha Caves 22 | iamhcmc.com/gazette

This new terminal will be built to the south of the current airport facilities, and the expansion will also include new structures to support a cargo terminal and maintenance facilities to the north of the airport where the much-talked about golf course is currently located. This expansion is expected to cost VND30 trillion (USD1.3 billion), excluding costs that will be required for site clearances. HCMC is expected to receive 60-70 million passengers a year by the year 2025. However, as things currently stand, a little patience will be required from travellers flying in or out of the city.

by Mark Gwyther

TRAVEL FEATURE

#iAMHCMC

Hidden Havens;

Vietnam’s Up and Coming Destinations Trying to get away from the crowds? Try these alternatives. Hurry. They won’t stay secret for long.

Vinh Long Province instead of Can Tho Can Tho is the fifth largest city in Vietnam. Although it is not a major tourism hub, you may want to find a place nearby that’s quieter and easier to manage. Vinh Long Province is on the Mekong River and has a floating market and many pagodas just like its busier neighbour.

Phu Quy Island, Binh Thuan instead of Mui Ne Have you been in Mui Ne and wished you were Leonardo DiCaprio in The Beach? Then go to Phu Quy Island. If you want an adventure away from the crowds, hop on the boat. Phu Quy is a four-hour to several-day boat ride from Phan Thiet. By several days I mean if you are on the island and a storm comes, get comfortable. The island houses a fishing village of 25,000 people and there are places to stay and eat. It has a beach.

Phan Rang, Ninh Thuan Province instead of Nha Trang Almost all of Vietnam is spectacularly crazy, but Phan Rang is kind of normal. Phan Rang is the geographical centre of the province and the societal centre of Vietnam. It’s not a modern-day city, nor is it undeveloped. It’s not busy, but not quiet either. It’s not touristy, but still easily accessible to tourists.

Phu Quy Island, Binh Thuan

coffee capital is a perfect base for exploring the Central Highlands.

Tuy Hoa, Phu Yen Province instead of Da Nang The capital and base for exploring Phu Yen’s beautiful beaches and bays. No internationally managed five-star resorts along the beach: you have the beaches to yourself. Resorts are creeping north from Nha Trang so now is the time to go.

An absolutely amazing recent discovery, the Phong Nha caves bring Vietnam to a crossroads. The government can choose to develop it in a sustainable and environmentally sound manner with low impact to the surrounding area and limit access to those who are willing to pay a high price, or develop it for mass tourism by adding a cable car, mega hotels, and the transportation infrastructure to bring in thousands of tourists per day in order to bring in as much money as fast as they can. This is a litmus test. You better book your tickets soon, and if you can’t afford it, wait and pounce when you can.

Ninh Binh Province instead of Halong Bay

Ninh Thuan Province developed infrastructure for tourism before the tourists. The coastal road is 116 km that begins in CaNa and ends near Cam Ranh. On that drive you pass deserts, seaside cliffs, undeveloped beaches, a mid-tier city, salt farms, fishing villages, vineyards, spectacular bays and jungles meeting the sea.

Nicknamed “Halong Bay on land”, it should be changed to “Halong Bay on land and without tens of thousands of other people”. This is where the movie Kong: Skull Island was mostly filmed.

Ha Giang, Ha Giang, Province instead of SaPa

Buon Ma Thuot, Dak Lak Province instead of Da Lat Same cool weather and waterfalls, but with 44 different ethnic groups in the area. Vietnam’s

Phong Nha Caves, Quang Binh Province, no other place like it on Earth

Phong Nha Caves, Quang Binh

All the ethnic minorities, dramatic landscapes and mountains as around SaPa, but without all the construction, garbage and masses. Ha Giang is the province closest to the Chinese border. 23

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TRAVEL FEATURE

by Sivaraj Pragasm

Phu Quoc:The Pearl Island Known as “The Pearl Island”, Phu Quoc Island is filled with white sandy beaches and pleasant weather all year. But its rapid development has also led to some issues. Dubbed “The Pearl Island”, Phu Quoc Island in the south of Vietnam is about 600 square kilometres, making it the largest island in Vietnam even though it’s geographically closer to Cambodia. Two-thirds of the island consists of forests but the main draw for tourists are its white sandy beaches and pleasant weather all year. With a total local population of just 103,000 people, Phu Quoc Island is the perfect escape from the overcrowded mess you find in many large cities.

There has been an increase in foreign investments over the years mainly due to the island having the lowest corporate and personal income taxes in the country. Land rents are waived for the first four years, and then halved for the next nine. Due to this scheme, the island now has a large number of hotel rooms to meet the rising needs of visitors. Currently, there are about 15,000 rooms rated three-stars and above, including 6,000 rooms rated five-star. If you have a phobia of riding bikes, you’ll be pleased to know that the island now has 24 | iamhcmc.com/gazette

five taxi firms operating on the island, with a total fleet of about 1000 taxis. Some of these include the low-cost Phu Quoc Taxi Company, as well as a fleet of Vinasun taxis after the latter expanded its operations into the island by buying a small taxi firm.

The Downside of Development However, rapid development can sometimes lead to unwanted consequences and in the case of Phu Quoc Island, there are a few. Due to the sudden surge of hotels and resorts on the island, the demand for trained workers in the hospitality exceeded its supply. One

solution to curb this was for hotels and resorts to work with vocational colleges and schools to provide short training courses to meet the demand. Some resorts have also partnered with vocational schools to offer apprenticeships and internships to students to provide them with hands-on experience. There has also been an increase in the number of workers relocating from the mainland to the island to work. Environmental concerns in the form of waste and water treatment have also crept into the island. The current infrastructure is simply not able to fully support the massive amounts of waste generated—about 150 tonnes a day.

by Sivaraj Pragasm

The river’s water has turned black mainly because of the residual oils being discharged from boats. To add on to the misery of marine life in the river, pollution is also rampant here with plastic bags and used plastic bottles, floating alongside old clothes and animal carcasses which have been spotted covering the water surface from Hung Vuong Bridge to Dinh Cau Estuary. According to Phu Quoc Province’s Public Work Management Board, workers have collected more than three tonnes of garbage from less than one square kilometer of the river. The river stretches up to about 21.5 kilometres and is considered one of the main sources of water for daily use and production activities on the island. There are currently about 322 establishments operating along the river, including fish sauce producers and some of these businesses lack a proper sewage treatment system. The island currently only has two landfill sites, one of which has been closed for months while the other is increasingly overloaded. The waste treatment plant in Ham Ninh Commune’s Bai Bon Village is

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also currently closed for maintenance and upgrading works, and is only expected to reopen in June. The island’s authorities have also been having difficulties attracting investment in their wastewater treatment projects. Other concerns that the island is grappling with

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include land disputes, fraud, and social disorder due to land speculation.

Planning for Paradise However, moving forward, the island is expected to remain one of Vietnam’s top tourist destinations mainly thanks to recent policy changes.

A visa-waiver policy adopted in 2014 allows foreigners a 30-day visafree stay in the island. This includes foreigners from countries that would normally require a visa application to visit the mainland. Phu Quoc International Airport is expected to undergo an upgrade that will increase its capacity from the current 2.5 million passengers a year to 5 million passengers by the year 2020, and a further increase to 7 million passengers by the year 2030. Plans are also underway to introduce direct flights to Japan and European countries soon. Other areas that will also be looked into include hygiene and food safety at traditional markets, better enforcement of traffic laws and tourist information booths at tourist spots. 25

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by Robert Fouldes

TRAVEL FEATURE

The Magic of the Mekong Delta

distributaries at My Tho, being easily reached along a good highway, only 75 km from HCMC airport, and approximately 1 hr 35 mins by car, providing safe highway travel to the edge of the delta. The region maintains its small-community charm, catering to diverse tourism sectors from mass tourism for large tour groups, to expat families seeking weekend breaks. While currently lacking a direct flight to HCMC, the regional capital of Can Tho (a fairly long drive of around three hours), has an international airport, with regional flights to Hanoi, Phu Quoc and Da Nang, allowing for the air traveller to explore the Delta waterways, or even to continue upriver into Cambodia on the many available river cruises.

Natural Beauty

The Mekong Delta offers a broad appeal to the tourist and traveller; attractions include river tours, explorations of maze-like waterways, cycle tours and guided walks through waterlands, mangroves and farms. With accommodation suited to all budgets from B&B to boutique and luxury resorts, the visitor can take advantage of unique opportunities to interact with local communities through farm visits, farm stays and homestays or simply through visiting the numerous floating markets across the region. The Mekong Delta makes up the greater part of the area southwest of HCMC. It offers the visitor a fabulous yet easily accessible destination with diverse attractions from cruises and river tours to boat trips through maze-like waterways connecting small farms, forests and mangroves. Cycle tours with guides introduce the visitor to the welcoming communities and farms, and accommodations can be found to 26 | iamhcmc.com/gazette

suit all budgets from basic overnight stays to luxury resorts.

Easy-to-Reach Destination The gateway to the Mekong Delta area lies within easy reach of HCMC with the nearest major river crossing of the Mekong river

The principal attraction has to be the natural beauty, as Françoise and Michel Scour the French founders and managers of The Island Lodge at My Tho described: “Water is everywhere you go, from small arroyo [creeks filled by the near-surface water table] to large navigable canals constructed in the French period to ease river navigation, to innumerable small canals to irrigate plantations,” orchards and rice fields. Many of these can be explored by boat, by foot or by widely available guided cycle tours where you can encounter local communities of farmers and fishermen. Jean-Luc Voisin, the French General Manager of “Les Vergers Du Mékong”, a large fruitfarming agricultural venture in the Mekong Delta area, describes the Mekong delta as a big garden, ”like a dream”, where “people from cities need to go back to nature”.

by Robert Fouldes

Choice of Accommodation and Tours The Mekong offers a broad choice of accommodation, from the highest quality resorts and boutique hotels to overnight budget hotels and B&Bs. Packaged tours can easily be found through numerous travel agencies and tour groups, commonly varying from two to eight days in length suitable for an array of activities, such as cycle or boat tours. In our conversations with local operators we heard about the importance of the local tour agencies to them. Benoit Perdu of the “9 Dragons Mekong Delta Cruise” organisation talked of how they “cherish agents with longterm commitment to the area, to their clients and to their customers”.

Jean-Luc Voisin also points to the importance of building a sustainable tourism industry here: “Agro- or ecotourism is one solution to help the farmers stay on the farm.” This also provides a very good opportunity for small farms to stay in business. He adds, “Bed & breakfast need political [local government] authorisation to set up, and support from travel agencies to help local businesses learn what the different needs are from the Vietnamese visitors to the international visitors.“ Water tours are booming. These range from mass-tourism scenic tour boats and party boats, to more relaxed cruise boats offering cruise-based accommodation and dining. Some visitors may enjoy the foods principally, other groups may prefer the packaged and busy guided tours, while others may prefer a relaxed

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pace, or perhaps a mix of relaxation with activity locations such as a visit to a floating market, a cycle through a fruit orchard, enjoying a wonderful meal prepared on a farm stay, or a shorter smaller craft excursion, all planned on a day or multi-day cruise. Talking to Benoit Perdu, we learned that:

While international visitors come from all over the world, that outside of the mass tourism sector, the visitors returning to the region are most often from groups broadly belonging to European cultures, such as France, Britain, Germany and Australia, possibly appreciating the more niche boutique appeal of many resorts.

Dining Dining throughout the Mekong will surprise you with the abundance of locally farmed

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produce, fresh fruits and vegetables and of course fresh seafood. Cuisines can be found with strong influences from many local and nearby Asian cultures, to more Western and some IndoChine and French influences. One of the more attractive aspects to the mass tourism groups, especially for Vietnamese tour groups, is the large choice of dining, with local and seafood restaurants meeting the needs in large numbers.

The Mekong – Economic Miracle The Mekong river, its tributaries, its maze of narrow waterways and broad expanse of wetlands supports a massive region. With agriculture, manufacturing, fisheries and river transport, the region is of significant economic value both nationally and internationally. However, the natural beauty of the province is in no way compromised by all this economic success. Jean-Luc Voisin describes that in his decision in choosing to build his business in Vietnam and the Mekong Delta; following a career working around the world with engineering companies, and having considered many things like education, business possibilities and security, he says simply that “Vietnam got the gold medal!” Tourism development in the Mekong Delta region appears to build from sound foundations, with an approach that fosters relationships not only between tour agencies and operators but also between operators, in many ways building a synergy that combines tour agencies with specialist operators or service providers, this enables, as shared by Benoit Perdu, an operator to “identify your segment and stick to that”. 27

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by Sivaraj Pragasm

Ho Chi Minh City: Not Yet a Tourism Hub Ho Chi Minh city is the commercial hub of Vietnam and with 3.2 million visitors in the first half of the year alone, is one of the most-visited in the country, but how is the tourism industry faring? Ho Chi Minh City, or Saigon as it’s affectionately known by locals and expats alike, is Vietnam’s commercial hub, a home to 13 million people and 7.3 million motorbikes as of March 2017. This statistic is the reason why the sounds of bike engines and honks make up the ubiquitous soundscape of the city. Compared to other cities in Southeast Asia, tourism isn’t its strongest selling point. Bangkok has its shopping, nightlife and the reason why it’s known as the sex capital of the world. Singapore is known for its stunning high-rise structures and cheap electronic products.

Saigon is usually the city most travellers stop by for a day or two before heading to other nearby tourist spots in the south of Vietnam such as Da Lat and Mui Ne.

The Event Draw However, efforts have been made to change this mindset. Over the years, the city has invested in organising cultural and pop events 28 | iamhcmc.com/gazette

attracting masses from all over the world. Locally-produced electronic music festivals like Ravolution for example, held their 2018 edition at the walking boulevard along Nguyen Hue with renowned international artists like Nervo and Ferry Corsten playing to a crowd that did not even have to pay a ticket fee. International franchise events such as the Color Me Run also had an edition in Saigon, attracting participants from all over the world. Domestically, there has been a surge in promoters and organisers independently

working towards a very diverse nightlife scene in Saigon. From underground techno events like Heart Beat to regular bass music shows with Bass Republic and even new specialised entertainment venues popping up across the city like Arcan, Saigon is starting to attract a younger demographic to a country that already has one of the youngest populations in the world. However, beyond the flashy lights and the relatively low cost of living, Saigon has its fair share of problems that affect tourism, especially returning tourists.

TRAVEL FEATURE

by Sivaraj Pragasm

From Rain to Robbery

From Sidewalks to Sidesteps

From May to November each year, residents in Saigon are well aware of the importance of umbrellas and ponchos. However, not all tourists come into the city wearing or packing waterproof boots, and the perennial flooding situation during these months is something that has yet to be addressed.

Steps have been taken recently by the authorities, such as clearing up the sidewalks of food stalls, motorbikes and other assorted items that should not even be there in the first place. This still remains one of Saigon’s most enthralling drama series to date.

Due to the city’s drainage and sewage system’s inability to keep up with the intensity of the monsoon rains, certain parts of the city turn into a mess of brown water that could even reach levels so high, you’d mistake your own backyard for a wading pool. Other issues that are often brought up are the overcharging of services to foreigners, aggressive vendors demanding to provide a service such as shoe shining and often intimidating tourists enough for them to end up forking out close to a million dong just to get their shoes shined, fake taxi operators that prey on unsuspecting customers and charge them over 10 times the correct amount, snatch theft and even robbery. Typically, issues that will stick in the memories of those who have been here and have decided not to come back, thus hurting the tourism industry in Vietnam.

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traffic to walking streets over the weekends. The ever-popular Bui Vien Street is one example of this scheme. As things stand, there is still a lot more work to do to turn Saigon into a tourism capital of the region.

E-Visas Increase Numbers But Will They Stay Up?

The operation headed by Mr. Doan Ngoc Hai, vice-chairman of District 1 People’s Committee started off brightly, earning polarised reactions from residents and amused tourists alike that eventually resulted in him earning the nickname, Captain Sidewalk. However, the operation didn’t last as long as one would expect, and then the food stalls and motorbikes reappeared and pedestrians were once again relegated back to the roads, sidestepping other pedestrians and motorbikes going against the flow of traffic.

In the first five months of this year, an estimated 3.2 million people have visited the city with a notable 10 percent increase by Canadian citizens.

Although not as dramatic, other steps taken include enforcing a higher degree of food safety regulations on street food vendors. With the establishment of Saigon Street Food Market located near Ben Thanh Market, vendors are now congregated under one roof, much like the hawker center model in Singapore, making it easier for authorities to monitor them. Another move that’s currently ongoing is the conversion of selected zones of the city with heavy tourist

This new policy has also been extended to European citizens with a three year extension of visa exemptions, leading to an increase in arrivals from European nations like France and Belgium.

Vietnam’s new e-visa policy targeted to North American citizens has also started to gain traction and the city is expected to welcome an increasing number of tourists from the continent.

The upward trend here, of course, is also dependent on how soon these common problems get fixed, and whether the plans to expand the city’s international airport go according to schedule. 29

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TRAVEL FEATURE

by Jon Aspin

Phan Thiet: Up, Up and Away? According to #iAMHCMC’s resident Phan Thiet expert Steve Raymond, in addition to suffering from a serious case of mistaken identity, Phan Thiet City is being hampered by the slow progress of the proposed international airport. Having lived and worked in the area for more than ten years, Raymond, the former General Manager of Panduras Resort, still despairs whenever he sees locations in Phan Thiet incorrectly listing themselves as being in ‘Mui Ne’, the popular kite surfing mecca just ten kilometres down the road. While he understands the reason owners and operators would want to associate with the name, in his opinion it’s been a self-defeating strategy.

“The problem with it”, Raymond told #iAMHCMC, “is that when tourists google the location of accommodation or businesses using the name Mui Ne, they are directed to a spot ten or twenty kilometres away from the actual place.” He goes as far as to call it a ‘misinformation campaign’ that has contributed to the failure of several businesses. ‘‘Because of the promotion of ‘Mui Ne’ as a destination, the greatest beneficiaries are businesses located in Mui Ne, Ham Tien and Phu Hai wards, all to the north and east of the city centre. However, since no tourism body helps promote businesses along the beaches south of Phan Thiet in Tien Thanh commune 30 | iamhcmc.com/gazette

and Ke Ga, many of them have closed or have very few customers.” In addition, Raymond has bemoaned the lack of progress on the planned Phan Thiet International Airport, which he says has halted construction since he last spoke to #iAMHCMC in 2015. This is despite a recent visit from Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc, who in February signed a decree approving the upgrade of the planned Phan Thiet runway from 2400m to 3050m. According to one report by local news outlet Bao Binh Thuan Online, this will allow the airport to handle aircrafts as large as the Airbus A320 - popular with the likes of China Southern and China Eastern Airlines - and increase the terminal’s annual passenger capacity to around 2 million.

“At the moment, the spot where the airport will be is not much more than an empty lot,” Raymond said, “although the plans for road work, a shopping mall and other associated businesses have increased the value of the land in the area by ten-fold.” Exacerbating Raymond’s frustration has been the continued delay of the USD750 million dollar, 98 kilometre Dau Giay- Phan Thiet Expressway, which has been in the works for the last ten years. In April of this year, Vietnam Investment Review reported on the termination by the Prime Minister of its latest, World Bank-led iteration.

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by Jon Aspin

#iAMHCMC

“The termination could not be avoided”, a senior official from the Ministry of Transport told VIR. “Investors have been discouraged by unresolved problems relating to the risk-sharing mechanism on exchange rates and the revenue guarantee.”

A New Hope Despite the challenges, Phan Thiet has still shown what Raymond calls ‘exponential growth’ since the economic downturn of 2014 - 2015. Renewing hope that it’s progress would again be fast-tracked, at the end of May this year, the Prime Minister held a working session with leaders of Binh Thuan Province to discuss the construction process of the $247 million airport project. However, even without an airport or a freeway, according to Bao Binh Thuan Online, the location remains popular, with more than 140,000 visitors flocking to Phan Thiet City during the Reunification Day weekend holiday as recently as 2016. Aside from enjoying the beach and taking in the hustle of one of the busiest fishing ports in Southern Vietnam, many of them arrived to witness the area’s significant number of historical monuments. Chief among them are the Po Sah Inu Towers, which date back to the 8th century and are some of the most important remaining vestiges of the Cham Kingdom. Formerly featuring several towers, only three remain, creating a sombre sense of history and a magical ‘golden hour’ photo opportunity.

For those looking to up their knowledge of the country’s greatest leader, the Duc Thanh Museum near the banks of the Ca Ty River is a living tribute to Ho Chi Minh, who taught at the Duc Manh school in 1910, before setting off to France to continue his own education. It’s a quaint, charming reminder of one of ‘Uncle Ho’s’ core philosophies and features memorabilia about his life and time in Phan Thiet, surely another of Vietnam’s most underrated destinations, with or without an airport.

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Other historical and cultural attractions include the largest reclining Buddha in Southeast Asia, which sits on Ta Cu (“holy mountain”) 28 kilometres west of the city. Inhabited by an extended family of enthusiastic monkeys, the mountain offers a stunning vista of the dragon fruit and paddy fields below, framed by the blue of the East Vietnam Sea.

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by Mervin Lee

Nha Trang

The Motto of Nha Trang is More Space, More Projects Things are looking sunny and possibly scorching, literally and figuratively, for the beach resort city of Nha Trang. In January 2018 international tourist arrivals have risen a massive 144% compared to January 2017. In a rather fated fashion, Khanh Hoa Province is scheduled to host the National Tourism Year event in 2019. Foreign and local investment is also growing alarmingly, properties surrounding Ma Thanh Stadium in Phuoc Hoa district has seen growths of almost double between the beginning of 2017 and the start of 2018, rising from an average of

35 million VND per m² to approximately 70 million VND per m².

most of the growth taking place in Da Nang and Nha Trang.

Condotels and Chinese Tourism Continue

The noticeable presence of mainland Chinese tourists has become crucial for local resorts, hotels and businesses, with arrivals in 2017 from China increasing a stunning 400% over 2016. Nha Trang has become a bookmarked budget beach heaven for many Chinese travellers hailing from landlocked provinces where sea and sand are a treasured sight. Reports of inaccuracies in historical introductions given to Chinese tourists by unlicensed translators have spurred local authorities to conduct enhanced retrainings for interpreters at important sites such as the famous Po Nagar Cham Towers.

Condotels have become a formidable market in a crossover between real estate and tourism. Nha Trang, a beautiful beach city with sprawling sand, has not been spared. According to the Vietnamese Ministry of Construction, approximately 28,000 apartments planned for 2017-2019 fall into the condotel category, with

According to the Khanh Hoa Department of Culture, numerous shops that are specifically geared towards Chinese and Russian tour groups were disobeying local laws where it is decreed that foreign languages displayed on business signages should not form a majority of the complete text and where it should preferably be in small print alongside Vietnamese text. We asked Remi Faubel, General Manager of Novotel Nha Trang, about these developments. “The authorities are doing a good job and taking action to change them. They removed those signs! You have to propose your own ads first [and let] the authorities check them before you can produce them.” 32 | iamhcmc.com/gazette

TRAVEL FEATURE

by Mervin Lee

We asked whether developments in beautiful, neighbouring Cam Ranh Bay would affect Nha Trang’s popularity. In May 2018 Cam Ranh Bay was named by popular travel magazine Conde Nast Traveler (cntraveler.com) as one of best seven places to visit, alongside goliaths including Paris, Sicily and San Francisco. Faubel was optimistic that both locations were complementary and co-existed synergistically in the local tourism context. “Things are bigger in Nha Trang for sure! More space and more projects.”

Cam Ranh and Nha Trang; Not Competitors “Cam Ranh and Nha Trang are different. People visit for different reasons, they are not competitors. Nha Trang is good for entertainment and shopping. Cam Ranh is far away from the buzz… people visit to relax, especially Westerners.” Faubel explained. At the same time, numerous smaller islets and atolls are being rediscovered by tourists while

the main stretch of beach along the main road of Tran Phu is becoming increasingly oversaturated by beachgoers. “Hotels on the main street Tran Phu are doing very well... mostly international brands, we have the awareness and that attracts a good mix of guests. It’s becoming quite hard to cross Tran Phu street these days!” he explained. “Because of all those coaches and large tour buses.”

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The new international terminal at Cam Ranh Airport is scheduled for opening and local authorities are motivated to enhance key infrastructural needs to handle the increasing tourist arrivals. Cam Ranh Airport is close to both Cam Ranh Bay and Nha Trang and serves both destinations. Faubel also hopes to see a more balanced mix of nationalities. “Most hotel owners don’t really care about the nationality of their guests. Some don’t mind lowering the rates to attract large tour groups. To be honest, we welcome them from a business point of view. However, local Vietnamese are being discouraged to come as they are starting to view us as a ‘Chinese city’. But with the new airport, we can mix the market a little. Europeans, Koreans, Japanese.” New routes that have been scheduled alongside the opening of the new terminal will connect Cam Ranh Airport directly to Singapore, Thailand and Japan via regular flights. Perhaps for Nha Trang, the skies are literally the limit. 33

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TRAVEL FEATURE

by Jesús López-Gómez

Dalat: City of Eternal Spring It has a few names: “The City of Eternal Spring” or “Le Petit Paris” are among them. The city reifies the second with a scaled-down version of the Eiffel Tower in the city centre overlooking Xuan Huong Lake. We’re talking about south central Vietnam’s oasis Da Lat, of course. With more than 350,000 residents welcoming tourists inside a mountain city with strict European inflections in its architecture, it’s enjoyed a coveted place among Vietnam’s tourists since the nation’s colonial rulers first used it as their private getaway. At the heyday of French rule, the 1,500-metre-high retreat was the place to be for society’s elite. A century later, much of that charm lives within the city still, but tourism professionals working within the city argued that Da Lat would benefit from an update to its approach in courting and keeping visitor loyalty in growing this market. Nguyen Thi Hoan Minh, a salesperson with Ana Mandara Villas Dalat, said Da Lat’s cool weather have made it a consistent attraction for tourists seeking outdoor activities, including hiking and biking tours. The area’s topographical diversity make it well suited for creating a broad range of tour packages that centre on its surrounding natural beauty. The resort continues to be popular with familycentred tourists, Minh said, noting the high percentage of honeymooners and families that come to the resort. The resort as well as Da Lat as a whole are popular with golfers. 34 | iamhcmc.com/gazette

But Nguyen said the destination’s “second place” status continues to be a hamper on its ability to grow. Take for example the city’s night market. In the absence of stronger leadership, sellers and vendors at the night market are largely uncoordinated and cannot therefore establish a common pricing scheme. This makes it harder for, among other coordinated market efforts, to raise prices of under-priced goods, she noted.

In this power vacuum, Nguyen added that Da Lat’s historic assets are being undersold to prospective tourists. That’s not the case with better branded destinations like Hoi An and Sapa. She noted that its distance from Ho Chi Minh City is another sticking point for

would-be tourists. Nguyen said the number of flights from Saigon needs to be expanded for few are willing to make the sojourn by bus or car. Taking a bike in to Da Lat may be all the more deterred by the fact that the city lacks traffic lights and cross-streets at many of its intersections. Da Lat’s inner city traffic is mediated by roundabouts, which strain when traffic thickens. Looking forward, Nguyen said the city’s tourism actors would benefit from more formal training in hospitality and marketing to enhance the city’s ability to connect with and serve visitors. Nguyen said the Da Lat of the future would surely have to reckon with the growing number of Chinese tourists coming to Vietnam.

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by J.K. Hobson

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Tourism and Conservation in Hoi An The historical city of Hoi An, famous for being one of Vietnam’s most “well-preserved” cities, is fast becoming one of the most visited cities in the Southeast Asian country. At one time it was Vietnam’s most prominent port. For that reason, to this day it is considered a melting pot, with architecture reflecting a blend of cultures and historical eras. Chinese shophouses, Buddhist temples, and the Vietnamese rustic skyscrapers known as “tube houses” line the streets of Hoi An. Along with the famous Japanese Bridge, all of these sites serve as reminders of the many influences that have come together to create the diverse and dynamic tapestry of Vietnamese culture.

According to the People’s Council, in 2017, Quang Nam, home to the iconic Hoi An City, received a record number of visitors with 3.22 million tourists reaching the central coastal province. This record-breaking number of visitors was 21.66% higher than the figures from the previous year, which saw a total of 1.78 million tourists with the city providing services to 1.44 million domestic visitors, according to Vietnam Tourism.

Tourism: Good for Business but Challenging for Sustainability Duc Tran was born in Saigon in the late 1960s and was a boat refugee to Malaysia in the mid1980s. After travels led him through Latin and

Central America, Australia, New Zealand and Europe, Duc found himself in Vietnam again in 1997. “I found Hoi An to be nice, beautiful, and the people are wonderful, so I said ‘hey, why don’t we try and live in Hoi An for a few years?’ Obviously I made the wrong decision because I’ve been here for the last 16 years! [laughs]” He credits his mother’s love for cooking and nurturing for compelling him to open Mango Mango, a restaurant and hotel that takes modern culinary approaches to traditional Vietnamese “soul food”. He explains that the influx of tourism has been good for business, but has brought challenges concerning infrastructure, sustainability and the natural environment. “There are definitely problems to think about now, like the river of plastic in the ocean.” According to the Global Environmental Facility, between the 120,000 citizens in Hoi An, and the deluge of tourists that visit the city on a daily basis, 75 tonnes of solid waste are created daily. The city’s waste eventually finds its way to the oceans, which has long-term, extending, detrimental effects. Duc says, “We are concerned and we want to be sustainable and support and sustainable ways. For example, there’s a pretty good collective of businesses using bamboo straws. With education, it’s coming.”

Better infrastructure = Happier Travellers He adds that there are traffic infrastructure problems that need sorting out. “There needs

to be more organisation regarding the tourists coming in and out. Often when buses enter Hoi An, there’s not enough space for the buses to park.

There’s a bit of chaos and the customers get stressed and actually want to leave Hoi An. Once it’s builtwell, functionally, and aesthetically pleasing, people will enjoy with a sense of relaxation. It’s not necessarily a matter of cutting down on the numbers of tourists, but making it manageable.” He also wishes to see more dialogue between the city and the business owners as a means of creating an environment in Hoi An that’s more welcoming to tourists as well as local artists desiring to express their local pride through their work. Hoi An stands apart from many tourist destinations in Vietnam in that much of its attractiveness comes from its ability to allow visitors to step into a piece of living history. For this reason, local businesses concerned with drawing large crowds of visitors have an added pressure to preserve while at the same time, growing with the times and creating the infrastructure that will make the central coastal city accessible. Regarding Vietnamese people’s ability to surmount difficulties Duc states hopefully that, “We are aggressive enough to approach solving problems and create an opportunity for ourselves. If there’s an idea, get it done!” 35

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TRAVEL FEATURE

by Tran Thi Minh Hieu

Da Nang Strives to Make Tourism a

Key Economic Sector

Tourism is becoming a key economic sector in Da Nang as the city strives to prove its status as a safe, friendly and professional destination and the leading tourism destination in Central Vietnam. In October 2016, the World Travel Awards (WTA), held at the InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort, gave the award of Asia’s Leading Festival & Event Destination 2016 to its host city Da Nang. Da Nang was the first city in Vietnam to receive this award. This has helped fortify the positioning and brand image of Da Nang’s tourism on the international level. The award signified Da Nang’s impressive rise from a city known for its natural endowments to a developed tourism city with a friendly environment, premium services, modern tourism products and professionally organised cultural events and festivals.

Exhibitions and Ecotourism Poised for Expansion In the wake of the award, the city’s authority immediately announced a plan for a series of international festivals and events to take place in 2017, including the 7th Danang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF) spanning two months from April to May, the 6th Asia Golf 36 | iamhcmc.com/gazette

Tourism Convention, the 5th Manulife Danang International Marathon, and especially the APEC Economic Leaders’ Meeting in November. According to Da Nang’s Department of Tourism, the city prioritises development in three core groups of products: beach tourism and luxury resorts; meetings, incentives, conferences and exhibitions (MICE); and cultural and ecotourism. It also aims to offer a range of supporting tourism products, including spiritual tourism, food tourism, health and beauty, and watersports.

Key Mice Centre in Asia Nguyen Quang Hai, Sun Group’s project development manager, said at the Da Nang Investment Forum 2017 that the city has favourable conditions to develop MICE tourism, and potential to become a new MICE centre of Asia if it can make reasonable use of its natural advantages such as river, sea and mountain to create novel, unique tourism products and provide a different experience.

In another conference in March 2018 on developing tourism as a key economic sector, Ho Ky Minh, vice president of the People’s Committee of Da Nang, said that the city strives to prove its status as a safe, friendly and professional destination and the leading tourism destination in Central Vietnam. Tourism in Da Nang quickly developed in the past few years and became one of the key contributors to the development of the city as a whole. From 2011 to 2015, the average annual growth in the number of tourists was around 20 percent, and total tourism revenue increased by 30.7 percent, according to statistics by the city’s Department of Tourism. In 2017, Da Nang welcomed 6.6 million tourists and bagged over VND19.4 billion in revenue, a 19 percent and 20.6 percent increase compared to 2016, respectively. Da Nang’s goal in 2020 is to welcome around nine million tourists, including three million international tourists, with an average annual growth rate of about 14 percent from 2016 to 2020. The city aims to increase total tourism revenue to VND36.4 billion, or around 25 percent of its GRDP.

TRAVEL FEATURE

by J.K. Hobson

#iAMHCMC

Hue:

Historical Conservation and Environmental Preservation For 25 years, the central coastal city of Hue has been drawing in tourists while struggling to preserve its ecology and cultural relics. Has the rise in tourism been a burden or a benefit? The Central coastal city of Hue is of remarkable significance in the history of Vietnam. Once the capital of the country, Hue straddles the famous Perfume River, was the hub of Vietnam’s imperial dynasty, and holds the last remnants of what it left behind. In 1993, the major sites of the city received World Heritage status, a fact that the city is quite proud of, as it boasts of the honour on signs outside the city Citadel and the Nguyen royal tombs. More than 30 million visitors have visited the city since the declaration 25 years ago. Overall, Hue has received a significant boost in tourism which has been growing incrementally on an annual basis, the results of which have been both positive and negative. La Residence is a five-star hotel centrally located in Hue. During Vietnam’s French colonial era, it was a guesthouse for French elites. In 2005 it became a hotel that caters mostly to French and American tourists. Ms Nga, one of the concierge workers there, is hopeful about the rise in tourism, and the

changes in development and infrastructure that are taking place as a result. “I’m excited about the walking street!” she says.

“The government is working on a walking street between the two bridges (along the Perfume River). It will go from the Citadel to the major places in Hue!” Although enthusiastic about the changes, she has concerns about the conservation of some of the lesser-known buildings and relics in her city, fascinating places like Ho Quyen, the famous fighting arena where Nguyen emperors like Minh Mang were entertained by annual battles between tigers and elephants. “If we build up more places like that, they will be more popular to the guests.”

Hue on the Forefront of Ecological Preservation in Vietnam Hue officials have recognised that the upsurge in tourism comes with a cost to the ecology and have been working with international organisations as a means of preserving Hue’s natural environment, especially when it

comes to carbon emissions. In 2016, Hue was recognised by the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) as a National Earth Hour Capital, according to VietnamTourism.com. At that time, Hue committed to cutting 20 percent of its gas emissions by 2020 compared to 2011 by focusing on urban green coverage, wastewater and garbage treatment, eco-tourism products, smart public lighting systems, renewable energy, and environmentally friendly building materials.

Roadblocks and Rainfall Hue’s biggest challenges to tourism come from the extreme weather conditions the city endures during its wet season. Heavy rains and flooding deluge the city, bringing normal daily activities to a standstill as people focus on the safety of their families, property and possessions. During this period, tourism is at a low, and tourists who endure this season rarely return. Despite the challenges, tourism is likely to increase in Hue, and the small city will have to rise to the challenge of maintaining a balance between development and ecology preservation, or else squander the elements that make it one of the hidden gems of Vietnam. 37

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TRAVEL FEATURE

by Tran Thi Minh Hieu

Hanoi’s Rise

to Top Destination Hanoi’s tourism is experiencing an upward trend thanks to new walking streets, more nightlife activities as well as developments outside of the Old Quarter and its classic attractions. According to Hanoi’s Department of Tourism, the city welcomed around 24 million visitors in 2017, a nine percent increase compared with 2016. Among these, international tourists were estimated at 5 million, with 3.5 million international visitors choosing to stay in Hanoi during their visit, an over 20 percent increase compared to 2016.

Total revenue from tourists in Hanoi was estimated at almost VND71 billion, increasing 15 percent compared with 2016.

The Added Value of the Weekend Walking Streets Before the weekend walking street was opened, Hanoi was considered less attractive as a tourist destination compared to the surrounding provinces in Northern Vietnam, including the cultural heritage town of Sapa on the edge of Mount Fansipan and the World Heritage Site Ha Long Bay.

Previously, many tourists only chose to stay in Hanoi for a one day stop-over before travelling to other destinations on their journey. This was especially true for those travellers who had booked a tour.

Countries with the highest numbers of international visitors to Hanoi include China, Korea, Japan, France, the US, Germany, Australia, Malaysia, Thailand and Canada.

Hung Vu, managing director of HA Travel said that because of the close proximity between the city’s major attractions such as the Old Quarter, Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and the Temple of Literature, tour operators could easily pack everything into a day tour.

This positive development is largely thanks to the opening of the weekend walking street around Hoan Kiem Lake in September 2016. Providing a safe space for a weekend stroll around the lake, live music in various forms and other cultural activities, the weekend walking street has become a part of life for Hanoi residents and a must-have experience for visitors to the capital.

There were not many activities suitable for tours at night, except for the water puppet show at Thang Long Theatre and the Dong Xuan night market. The addition of the weekend walking street, connected to the night market, has created more room for tourists to explore the life and culture of the city, alongside its natural sights and historical buildings.

38 | iamhcmc.com/gazette

Following this development, a completely new walking street, named after Vietnam’s well known composer Trinh Cong Son, was opened in August 2017 near West Lake. This area has become increasingly popular with international tourists and expats in recent years, due to the availability of spacious, luxurious hotels and Airbnb apartments that cannot be found in the Old Quarter.

Comfort and Culture As Luong Ngoc Khanh, general director of H&K Hospitality told #iAMHCMC, other parts of the city that are a popular choice for foreigners include Hai Ba Trung District, to the south of the Old Quarter, and Cau Giay and Nam Tu Liem Districts, to the west of the Old Quarter. These areas are filled with modern buildings and facilities, which help them stand out as a wise choice for both leisure and business travellers. As Hanoi continues to expand and develop its tourism facilities and services in coming years, professionals in the field expect to see a rise in five-star hotels specially geared for tourists and business travellers who are choosing Hanoi as a single stop destination rather than as part of a pre-packaged tour. The focus will be on trips which combine comfort and culture. The city was the only destination in Vietnam listed on TripAdvisor’s 2018 list of “The Top 25 Destinations in the World”. Now the challenge is making sure Hanoi maintains its status year after year.

TRAVEL FEATURE

by Tran Thi Minh Hieu & Patrick Gaveau

#iAMHCMC

Cruising over a Decade of Development in Ha Long

A discussion on the past, present and future of tourism development in Ha Long Bay, and how the business of cruise tours needs to change with the times. This article is based on an interview between Patrick Gaveau and Cao Son, CEO of Paradise Group, one of the biggest cruise operators in Ha Long Bay since 2008.

A Slow Start for a Beloved Destination In 2008, the market was not as positive as I expected, said Cao Son. The destination itself was not well known back then. As I travelled I was surprised to learn that, in some countries they didn’t know about Ha Long Bay. This was due to a lack of promotion and marketing for the destination. Once people came to Ha Long Bay they would love it but many people in the world did not know where it was. We tried to promote not only cruise tours but the destination as well. However, there was a need for a concerted effort from the local authorities and the Vietnamese government to promote Ha Long Bay.

Many people who come to Vietnam only choose one destination out of many possible destinations, so promoting Ha Long Bay means promoting Vietnam, and vice versa.

Today the number of tourists coming to Ha Long Bay is increasing. Most of them are from China, ASEAN countries and Korea, but Son said he doesn’t see any significant improvement in other markets. “We do seem to have more customers from the high-end market who are willing to pay more.” Most Chinese tourists come and stay in hotels on land, and then take a day cruise. There are many more hotels in Ha Long City and Tuan Chau Island to choose from compared to a decade ago. Currently many people still see Ha Long as a cheap destination, and they do not think that there are luxury accommodations or facilities here, even though this is not true. So the average room rate in Ha Long is still low compared to the quality of the hotels and the cruises. Compared to other destinations or other countries, the quality of facilities and services is really good both on water and on land.

Activities Added to Attract Longer Cruises Son continued by saying that the length of the stay is increasing for the hotels on land. But for

the cruise we think that most people still choose a one-day tour, not because there’s nothing to do in Ha Long Bay (there are more activities being promoted now), but because people have a shorter stay in Vietnam in general. In the past, people stayed three weeks in Vietnam so they could spend two or three nights in Ha Long Bay. But now they shorten their stay to two weeks or only one week in Vietnam, and in Ha Long they can only stay one night. There are enough activities in Ha Long to keep people entertained for a few days. If you just want to relax, you can take a cruise of two or three days, or even longer on a chartered cruise to explore the bay in full, enjoy the beautiful little-known beaches and caves. If the weather allows, you can also spend a day cycling around villages on Cat Ba Island. For people staying on land, especially families with kids, there is the new Sun World Ha Long amusement park launched by Sun Group. You can also explore Ha Long City, its markets and streets to know more about local culture and cuisine. Ha Long welcomes a lot of Hanoi residents during summer weekends as it is one of the nearest beaches to the capital. By the end of June 2018, the new highway connecting Hanoi, Hai Phong and Ha Long will be finished, and it will take only one-and-a-half hours from Hanoi to Ha Long, instead of the three and a half hours it currently takes. 39

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by Jon Aspin

Luxury.

Should We Lower Our Expectations?

Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, Nha Trang

The luxury travel industry is in flux in Vietnam, with one horror story that went viral acting as proof that you can’t always trust what you see on the brochure. Luckily, the concept of luxury is all subjective. #iAMHCMC asked some industry insiders about the nature of luxury travel in Vietnam.

Raising Expectations

When Australian tourist Lynne Ryan’s dream trip, a ‘luxury’ two-day cruise on Ha Long Bay, turned into a nightmare in May of this year, her Facebook post detailing a floating house of horrors made international headlines. ‘Duped’ into paying $100 per person by what she described as a ‘glossy brochure showing a beautiful boat’, what Ryan and her friends got was a cockroach and rat-infested junk, with ‘filthy toilets’, ‘rock hard’ beds and a sundeck that was ‘falling apart’.

Vietnam is by now a well-established destination in Southeast Asia. According to figures posted online by the Ministry of Culture, Sport and Tourism, the country has welcomed just over 6.7 million international visitors in the first five months of 2018. Although this number is still dwarfed by the likes of near neighbour Thailand, it’s a trend that continues up and now includes a more diverse range of travellers than ever.

While the National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) acted swiftly on the negative publicity—apologising, exacting fines on the travel agency, suspending the boat and then offering Ryan a free tour on her return to Vietnam—was she right to expect luxury in the first place or was she simply an ‘easy mark’ for an unscrupulous minority?

Everyone from the ever popular European ‘beg-packers’ who come with little more than the shirts on their backs, to private-jet-owning Chinese moguls, who might fly in for a weekend at the Amanoi oncea-month, all know that Vietnam has something to offer them.

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With the upward trend in visitors comes an upward trend in expectation, however, and pressure on the industry to get it right. Ryan’s ‘Ha Long Horror’ is a glaring example of the opposite, and a contributing factor in why the rate of return to Vietnam has been traditionally low. It’s something the industry is all too aware of.

Reality Check “A lot of travellers don’t return to Vietnam”, said one insider working for a luxury travel agency who spoke to #iAMHCMC on the guarantee of anonymity. “Whether they are backpackers or have a lot of money to throw around, it’s not for everyone here and much more of a ‘trip’ than a holiday. In terms of the luxury segment, it still has a long way to go to compare itself with what you can find in Europe, the States or even Thailand.” “On the whole, we see that once people have been to Vietnam, they are able to check it off their list and leave it at that. There is no particular reason for the general traveller to return.”

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Amanoi Resort, Ninh Thuan

A glum sentiment perhaps, but a reality also acknowledged in part by Nick Wade, Assistant General Manager at Khiri Travel. He pointed out strong competition in the Southeast Asian region and shared a strategy his company uses to bring people back. “One way we try to bring clients back is to not just sell full country tours, but rather take them to the best areas at the time of year they travel”, he said. “(For example) Sapa in early January is not exactly the best time to go there, so we promote other areas in the hope that they come back later to see the parts they missed the first time.” On the truly luxurious segment of the market, Wade said that this was growing and diverse in Vietnam.

“Vietnam is one of those unique destinations where you can fit into the ‘luxury’ spectrum exactly where you want to be. You can stay in $5 hostels or $500, six-star resorts.” “Six Senses, Four Seasons, MGallery, Anantara and Fusion are all examples of high-end brands that you can find across the country”, Wade continued. “These international hotel groups set the benchmark

when it comes to luxury travel and clients now expect, and rightly so, the same standards as they would in any other 5-star hotel in the world.” Suffice it to say, no cockroaches, rat poo or broken toilets allowed.

A Subjective Experience Ashley Bier, Sales and Marketing Manager for Vietnam Backpacker Hostels, deals primarily with the younger end of the market, first-time or inexperienced travellers looking to see the world and experience new cultures in affordable comfort. She echoed Wade’s thoughts and said Vietnam was a great place to strike a balance of feeling indulgent without breaking the bank. She also explained that the concept of luxury was very subjective, and could include a “once in a lifetime” experience that’s “worth going big on”. “With the cost of things in Vietnam, it is relatively easy and accessible to splurge”, Bier said. “That being said, part of the special wonder of the country comes from its rural beauty which is a little less ‘luxury’. I think in general, travellers of all ages, sizes and budgets just need to do their due diligence before going to a country with a different language or currency.”

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by Molly Headley-Benkaci

The Ethical Dilemma of Ethnic Tourism

A grandmother and her grandson selling H’Mong handicrafts.

Sapa has become a hub for ethnic tourism as visitors are drawn to the landscapes and the cultural heritage of the people. Sadly, many travellers leave uncomfortable with the mass tourism feel of packaged tours. Want an alternative? Here are a few organisations who are doing it right. Their faces speak to another time and place. Some ancient, lines so deeply engraved in their skin that they’ve become a map of their hardworking years. Other faces unmarked by age and geographical area, youthful and grinning as if caught mid-play. They are the H’Mong, and Ha Nhi, Cao Lan and La Chi among others, the tribes that populate the minority regions of Vietnam, captured through the lens of Réhahn, a photographer who has made it his life’s work to shoot all 54 of the ethnic minorities in Vietnam. Most of these tribes speak their own dialects rather than Vietnamese and do not read or write the national language. As a result of this and a complicated history with French colonialism, the American war and current discrimination, people from these tribes have historically remained disconnected from the rest of Vietnam. Minority areas have a high degree of poverty and illiteracy, yet despite their daily struggles they maintain their rich 42 | iamhcmc.com/gazette

cultural identity, which attracts tourists seeking experiential travel.

Heritage = High Yield Sapa is the hub of heritage tourism and travellers flock there at sometimes alarming rates for the otherworldly vistas, the chance to have an experience in Vietnam that feels ‘authentic’, and the Fansipan Legend cable car. The Sapa Statistical Office reports that in 2017, close to 1 million tourists visited Sapa, while the number of official residents in Sapa District comes in at just under 60,000. Ethnic minorities make up around 82 percent of that number. However, it is important to note that the vast majority of these tourists are domestic travellers who are more interested in the cable car than trekking to visit tribes. Visitors who do come for cultural tourism coalesce in four main villages

while the other 89 hardly get any footfall at all. According to a study by Dr. Keith Nurse of the University of the West Indies:

“Heritage tourists are one of the highest yield tourism groups.” They tend to spend 38 percent more per day than traditional travellers. In addition, they stay longer. As a result of this profitability the minority regions around Sapa have exploded with packaged tours. Yet, a debate about ethics arose when it became apparent that the major beneficiaries of these tours are the companies, and that the minorities are often badly paid. Réhahn has documented 49 tribes so far. Réhahn’s images manage to depict not just the people but also the spirit of their heritage.

The subjects dressed in their handmade finery, their hands stained with the deep indigo they use to dye their garments, gaze out from the prints as if inviting the viewer to get to know them, to experience a different style of life through them.

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Réhahn recently opened the Precious Heritage Museum in Hoi An, which displays his photographic work as well as the traditional costumes and intangible histories of each tribe. For Réhahn the museum is a way to both pay homage to his subjects as well as to bring awareness of their cultural identity before their traditions are effaced by modern society. Réhahn has been published in every major international photography and travel journal but he says that photography is not his real obsession. “I’m not interested in talking about what type of camera I use because it is just a tool”, Réhahn said. “What brought me to this project is that I love people. I love history and I want to understand. Photography is just a means to be able to approach [the minority tribes].” Réhahn is not the only one to have this compulsion to connect with these rapidly disappearing cultures. Travellers come to Vietnam from all over the world to make the trek up into Sapa to see the H’Mong and the Red Dao, in particular, and to marvel at the intricate embroidery, tassels and colours of their traditional dress. Réhahn says that tourists are often looking for an experience with ‘the exotic’. When they go into a village and see people living in wooden houses, wearing beautiful costumes or silver jewellery made from French coins, they are able to witness something new. “It is maybe a cliche”, Réhahn says, “but they seem to be happy. Happy with less. So I think tourists are trying to find some adrenaline, some

Réhahn with Ly Ca Su, a woman from the La Hu tribe

type of emotion. They are trying to find out if they’re on the right path.”

Cultural Curiosities and Human Zoos Ethnic, cultural, minority or heritage tourism has gained in popularity since the 1970s, when tourism marketers realised that some people sought out travel experiences primarily so that they could gain a deeper comprehension of cultures dissimilar to their own. Yet, in all actuality, people have been attracted to the ‘other’ since the dawn of nationalism. In 1493, Christopher Columbus sailed back from the Americas with indigenous peoples to show them to the Spanish court. By the 1800s, ‘human zoos’ were à la mode across

A woman trekking in the hills of Sapa. Photo courtesy of Ethos Travel

Europe and people were removed from their home countries to be presented in what were called “ethnographic museums”.

‘Native’ villages were reconstructed at World Fairs and populated with actual people whose humanity blurred into specimen. Visitors came to gape at what were then considered ‘primitive cultures’ by the thousands. This dark history is at the source of the ethical debate about minority tourism. Phrases such as cultural appropriation and cultural voyeurism sprang from the guilt associated with this past and are often used to disparage businesses that are seen to profit from the inherent interest in people from different cultures.

Tourism with Dignity According to the South Dakota State Historical Society in the US, heritage tourism done well “creates jobs, new business opportunities, and strengthens local economies. It protects natural and cultural resources, which improve the quality of life for residents and travellers who participate in the services and attractions.” This is the ideology behind Ethos - Spirit of the Community, a “social enterprise that strives to offer experiential adventures”. Ethos is located in Sapa Town, which is the starting point for most ethnic tourism in Vietnam. Ethos mainly employs people from the H’Mong tribe to act as 43

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by Molly Headley-Benkaci

TRAVEL FEATURE

tour guides as well as offering homestays, textile and cooking classes, and trekking.

Ker, a guide with Ethos Travel

Phil Hoolihan, the managing director of Ethos, said that “all trips work on real conversations. I feel that any ethical experiences should be about positive exchanges. We all learn from each other. What that means is guests and local minority people discuss and converse dynamically.” Hoolihan said that locals who are employed in standard tours are often paid a pittance and are unable to continue their traditional way of life. Full time guides have no time for rice planting, farming, embroidering or any of their other traditional daily life tasks. There is irony in the fact that in order to create income and attempt to preserve their heritage these guides must completely remove themselves from their culture. Ethos’ team is bigger than necessary so that each guide can continue his/her regular way of life alongside receiving compensation for their work. The money that Ethos receives from tours is then returned to the communities by way of projects achieved in unison with the Sapa District Women’s Union that are centred around healthcare, education and literacy, human trafficking prevention and health and hygiene. According to the National Trust for Historic Preservation in the US, “The keys to a successful cultural heritage program include five principals: 1) Collaborate, 2) Find the fit between a community and tourism, 3) Make sites and programs come alive, 4) Focus on quality and authenticity, and 5) Preserve and protect resources.”

44 | iamhcmc.com/gazette

unless they gain specifically from tourism, they get the inconveniences—litter in the villages, cameras in their faces etc., without the positives.” Artists like Réhahn who try to bring awareness, to the minority cultures, and companies like Ethos, Sapa O Chau, and Sapa Sisters whose aim is less financial than social, are scarce but there is hope in the fact that they are out there trying to shift the status quo. “If there was no tourism [in Sapa] the culture might have disappeared already”, Réhahn said. “Villagers might have to send their kids to Sapa town and become a housekeeper in a hotel or home there. Tourism can help to build up the villages rather than dispersing the people to other towns to get income.”

Unfortunately, the current state of tourism in Sapa is far from these ideals. Package tours guide travellers towards prefabricated ‘handicraft’ shops in which crafts traditional to the region are copied and sold at much cheaper rates. There is no comparison for a hand-stitched H’Mong blanket that may have taken one year to make, but tourists that are uneducated about the difference and the damage that buying knock-offs can have for the local population can easily fall into the trap. To make matters worse, authorities have posted signs asking tourists not to buy from the villages and to buy from the shops in Sapa town instead. As a result, though the villages are crowded with tourists, the locals make very little money from the influx. Hoolihan puts it this way: “When you are simply surviving, you can’t dream. Most people here are going through the motions and

Ker, a young H’Mong woman who works as a guide for Ethos, talked about the opportunities properly managed tourism has brought to her, “Tourism is good for me because it helps me a lot for the future. I can have a better house and a better shower room and it has also allowed me to travel.” The experience for her has been mutual. She said that she enjoys working as a guide because it gives her the opportunity to learn about other people’s cultures as they learn about hers. Both Hoolihan and Réhahn emphasise that despite the influx of tourism Sapa is still a magical place for those interested in stepping off the beaten path and experiencing genuine cultural tourism.

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Modern Nostalgia and the Spirit of Family at

Quan Bui Restaurants

dishes are the Southern canh chua, claypots from the Centre, and cha ca grilled fish from the North. Despite its roots in tradition, Quan Bui is still contemporary. “Modern meets culture,” is how Tran describes the concept. A selection of 15 cocktails crafted by an expert bartender changes each month. There are also international wines available. Drop into any of the four restaurants for a memorable meal or choose Quan Bui for your next event. The garden setting at Quan Bui Original and Quan Bui Garden are perfect for an intimate wedding celebration or a birthday party, while Quan Bui Central and Bistro are ideal for business dinners, company functions or wine tastings.

Transport yourself back to an elegant era when families would dine together, sharing conversation around excellent food. Quan Bui Vietnamese restaurants in HCMC will stimulate your taste buds as well as your soul. In District 2 on a quiet street, a wooden sign guides us into a lush garden. Diners gather at tables tucked between trees. Plates of food fragrant with spices, lemongrass, coriander and meat are shared amongst friends. At a far table a man sits alone, concentrated on the work he has in front of him. He has the purposeful look of someone ready to take on the next project. This is Tran Danh, the founder of the beloved Quan Bui restaurant group. At 36 years, Tran is unexpectedly young considering his success in the food and beverage sector, yet, his youth is part of what pushed him to launch his brand. Seven years ago, Tran was working in the marketing industry. Like many of his contemporaries, he had no time to prepare food at home so he ate out for every meal. After a while this lifestyle began to wear on him. “I literally never ate at home”, Tran said. “So I thought, why not open something for people like me? Office workers, middle-income people looking for something affordable but good. What their mum might cook, but better.”

Come to discover the smells and flavours of Vietnam at its finest, and leave replenished with the spirit of friends and family.

Tran wanted the kind of meal that would evoke nostalgia for family dining. Excellent quality in comfort and elegance. And thus the concept for the first Quan Bui was born. The flagship Quan Bui opened in 2011 on a small street in the centre of Saigon’s “Little Hollywood”. The restaurant fulfilled a need for healthy Vietnamese comfort food, prepared with no MSG and low sugar. The broths used in classic soups like the tangy, tamarind-flavoured Canh Chua are made in-house with no chemical additions or short-cuts. Now with four restaurants spread across the city, Tran has accomplished his goal. Each Quan Bui restaurant is enrobed in jewel-tones, warm lighting, and Indochine-style art and design. The general atmosphere is like being welcomed into the type of traditional Vietnamese home that has almost ceased to exist. The menu covers dishes from three regions— North, Centre and South. Some of the signature

Details QUÁN BỤI - Bistro 1st Floor, 39 Ly Tu Trong, District 1 (Corner of Hai Ba Trung) T: +84 2836 02 22 41 QUÁN BỤI - Original 17/A Ngo Van Nam, Ben Nghe Ward, District 1 T: +84 2838 29 15 15 QUÁN BỤI - Central 2A Le Duan, District 1, HCMC (Corner of Dinh Tien Hoang) T: +842839101055 QUÁN BỤI - Garden 55A - 55B Ngo Quang Huy, Thao Dien Ward, District 2 T: +84 2838 98 90 88 45

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TRAVEL FEATURE

by Lucie Sherwood

Trashing Tourism:

Travelling in Vietnam and the Litter Problem

The litter problem is in danger of ruining Vietnam’s most-loved tourist attractions unless the travel industry and government can rally to tackle the trash. This year two of Southeast Asia’s most infamous beach resort towns—Boracay in The Philippines and Phi Phi in Thailand— have been closed to tourists in order to clean up their beaches and seas, thrusting the ugly side of the region’s tourism boom into the spotlight. Both destinations have suffered problems associated with overcrowding, including mismanaged waste disposal and damage to marine life, according to CNN. With the recent surge in visitors to Vietnam, some of the country’s most treasured tourist attractions, such as Halong Bay, Phu Quoc island and Nha Trang, are similarly struggling to maintain their traveller credentials in the wake of the masses of litter spoiling their natural beauty. The Vietnamese government has taken an aggressive approach to the promotion and development of Vietnam’s tourism industry, resulting in the number of international arrivals reaching more than 6.7 million in the first five months of this year, an increase of 27.6 percent over the same period last 46 | iamhcmc.com/gazette

year, as reported by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism. While this is positive news for the country’s growing economy, the millions of travellers flocking to Vietnam are jeopardising its natural landscapes.

The limestone islands of Halong Bay and the palm-fringed beaches of Phu Quoc rank in most top-10 lists of must-visit spots in Vietnam, but a closer look at most traveller forums and discussion groups will reveal a recurring gripe among the travel community in Vietnam: litter. Littering by both locals and tourists is now an epidemic in Vietnam, with 18,000 tonnes of plastic waste generated a day, according to Tuoi Tre news, and the country is struggling to deal with this. VN Express reported that only 40 to 60 percent of waste in rural and suburban areas ends up in dumps, while the rest is discharged into canals and rivers that flow into the sea.

Phu Quoc Ruined by Rubbish? In tourist areas such as Phu Quoc, small businesses are mushrooming to meet the rising demand but many do not follow proper procedures for waste disposal or are unwilling to adapt to a more ecofriendly way of working, according to Duggy Dugong, Marketing Director of the Phu Quoc Chamber of Commerce, an independent, nongovernmental group.

Dugong explained that this can extend to businesses falsely using the recycling symbol—when there is no recycling on Phu Quoc island—or branding themselves “eco-friendly” as a marketing tool to capitalise on the increasingly environmentallyconscientious travel community. He added, “there is no accountability or standards, and most are doing it in order to have a competitive edge over similar businesses”. Michelle Vu, Sales and Marketing Representative for Mango Bay Resort in Phu Quoc, talked

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about the measures the resort is implementing, from eliminating plastic straws to using all of its organic waste to fertilise its gardens. Vu said that glass waste is a big problem in Phu Quoc, as there is nobody buying and collecting glass for recycling. She added that if tourist numbers in Vietnam continue to rise without any long-term solution, a breaking point will be reached and Vietnam’s global reputation as a tourist destination will be damaged. Dugong explained that there are just two garbage dumps on the island and they have reached capacity. These are sprayed with chemicals by the locals to prevent the stench from wafting over to nearby resorts.

Halong Bay and Nha Trang Wrangle with Waste The story is similar at the other end of the county. Visitors to Halong Bay will know how blighted the UNESCO World-Heritage site is by the abundance of trash floating in the emerald waters. Much of this waste originates from the thousands of tourist boats floating in the bay, but there are some tour companies making efforts to reform the Halong Bay experience. The Indochina Junk company has sponsored a clean-up programme in Halong Bay, collecting 24,638 kg of garbage in 2016, and other agencies

encourage tourists to take part in clean-up drives in exchange for a discount. In Central Vietnam, backpacker mecca Nha Trang also suffers from litter problems. Ary Arbani, Marketing Communications Manager for Six Senses Ninh Van Bay, explained that the Nha Trang community “are very much concerned about the impact of waste and littering, particularly plastic, and the problem is compounded with the rapid development of tourism in the area”. Arbani said that the Six Senses resorts have been filtering and bottling their own drinking water, eliminating the use of plastic water bottles. Six Senses Ninh Van Bay alone is saving around 10,000 plastic bottles per month. While there has been a budget allocated for further green infrastructure projects, many have not yet come to fruition. Dugong mentioned that the Vietnamese government has laid plans to fund a new recycling centre, a waste collection centre and a new recycling business process for Phu Quoc before 2020, although there is scepticism about this. Just this year, a new waste management facility opened on the island but was subsequently shut down for unknown reasons.

Path Towards a Greener Vietnam Julia Mesner Burdge, co-founder of Zero Waste Saigon, said, “What needs to be done

is work here in Vietnam to produce less trash, on a business level, and raise awareness to the public.” Hotels and tour companies can do their part by working towards making environmental preservation an integral part of the tourist experience. Dugong suggested that what’s needed is a summit between the Southeast Asian nations to discuss the garbage issue, as much of the coastal trash comes in from the seas, which is difficult to control without a united approach.

Globally, travellers are increasingly aware of their environmental impact and there is a growing market for “green travel”, with 87 percent of global travellers stating that they want to travel sustainably, according to a recent report by booking.com. With this global shift towards more sustainable travel, the-call-to-action is coming from an ecoconscious travel community as much as from global authorities and NGOs. There are commendable small-scale efforts being made by a number of individuals, businesses and green communities such as Zero Waste Saigon and Clean Up Vietnam, but the country continues to face a significant challenge in promoting economic growth whilst maintaining, protecting and enhancing its natural environment for the future. 47

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TRAVEL FEATURE

by Jesús López-Gómez

Trekking: A Dangerous, Critical Feature of VN Tourism

A landscape of clouds atop a mountain in Vietnam.

Outdoor hiking trips will be a key part of tourism’s future in Vietnam, but it will have to be safer and perhaps more closely regulated. In the past two years, the Phan Dung region—a popular trekking destination—has seen a pair of fatalities. #iAMHCMC spoke to a traveller who went on a trekking trip there knowing the risks. Before Trang Ho set out for her trekking expedition to Phan Dung, inland between Phan Thiet and Cam Ranh, in April, the tour operator Nobitrip offered some guidance.

trekking, while not common, are nonetheless not a negligible risk in this type of travel. Ho said she weighed the risks, “but they did not affect my decision”.

The tour operator issued an extensive set of instructions including what kind of shoes Ho should wear during the trekking expedition and how she should cut her toenails before the expedition (down to the quick). Aside from wrapping all of her personal items in waterproof bags, Ho said that the tour operator explained that the trekking expedition would stop for heavy rains and the trip would traverse the area’s many streams.

“I just want to experience it, to see if it is really as beautiful as the articles say.

A week of exercise was recommended. Nobitrip said that it would not be responsible for any health problems that arose during the trip, Ho said in written response to interview questions.

“Why do I want to go this way? I do not know how to say it. It’s just youth that makes you desire to explore, wanting to venture into the experience and conquer it. This way is very normal for me”, Ho wrote.

Proceeding with Caution

Ho added that her risk-friendly lifestyle also played heavily in to her decision to pursue the trekking trip knowing the risks. She is a selfdescribed road warrior who’s logged untold kilometres going from Saigon to Mui Ne and all points in between.

Nobitrip’s precautions only seem overprotective until you consider the fact that deaths while

“So to me it’s just another experience,” she wrote.

48 | iamhcmc.com/gazette

Attraction, Though Fatal Ho’s enthusiasm belies the very real dangers she overcame as a traveller in the area. During her journey she crossed a stream where a previous traveller had died. Perhaps it’s the Phan Dung area’s stunning beauty that explains its lasting appeal to tourists despite the hazards. Nobitrip is one of a wealth of tour agencies that specialise in shepherding tourists through this area. The most popular route is a 55-km-long path that stretches across three provinces northeast of Ho Chi Minh City: Lam Dong, Ninh Thuan and Binh Thuan. At its highest, it’s 1,100 metres above sea level and 500 metres at its lowest. The road features a seemingly endless expanse of rolling terrain with pristine streams and scenic mountains. The beauty is a mismatch with the terrain’s extreme difficulty. A group documenting their trip for a trekking blog on “Inspitrip” reported that each of their three groups got lost on the first day. Throughout their trip, the group encountered difficulty finding water and following the trail as well as problems with cell service (Viettel is best, they later learned).

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The month after Ho’s journey in April, Thi An Kien, a 24-year-old hiker, would die after getting lost during a hike in the area. Some combination of the same problems plagued Thi up to the fatal end of his trekking voyage. At noon on May 12, the group travelling with Thi became aware that he had been separated from the group, according to reporting by Kenh14. At 9 p.m. that night, the group had activated local authorities and forest rangers to help search for their missing friend, a rescue effort that grew to 100 people by the next morning. It would be nearly a week before Thi’s remains were located near the Phan Dung commune. He is the second person to die on this trail in as many years.

Always Almost There Writing about the journey, Ho didn’t linger on the dangers. For her, the biggest feature of the trip was the beauty of the landscape. Nevertheless, the tour operator said the hikers were welcome to turn back at any point within the first 8 km in the 55-km path. Ho travelled with a 10-kg load on her back and four litres of water. As the group walked, Ho said the tour leader kept encouraging the group, cheerleading them and reminding them that the downhill portion is “almost coming”. The last kilometre to her campsite on the first night featured an almost vertical climb, she said. This one stretch took almost two hours and included plenty of opportunities to slip and fall to a possible injury. Ho said the first night she fell into the best sleep she’s ever had.

Tourists hiking in the mountains with backpack near rice terraces in Sapa. Reflaction of people at puddy fields during the walking tour.

The Strategy Beyond Adventure Tourism The traveller deaths, the unforgiving territory— these are obstacles Vietnam’s tourism authorities will need to confront as it seeks to grow its tourism sector and earn the 20 million foreign visitors expected by 2020. The country’s natural treasures and the hiking tours that have drawn travellers like Ho will be a big part of that strategy. The country received just under 13 million international arrivals in 2017, according to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism. Speaking about the objectives, Vietstar Airlines Deputy General Director Luong Hoai Nam said that Vietnam’s tourism was “good at some things but bad at many things” in remarks reported by online publication “Inquirer”.

Luong said the country’s visas policy and technology friendliness could be updated. He said that airport infrastructure would need to be refreshed to make the tourism increase viable. Luong also suggested tourism companies look to the nation’s previously untapped historical assets in building new resources to support this goal. He speculated that the country might serve new visitors by offering “war tourism”, a journey through Vietnam’s countryside to visit important sites in the American War. Willing travellers might be able to hike through this kind of tour, Loung said. But Nobitrip shows it’s possible to accommodate these types of tours in a safe, responsible manner. Ho visited the site knowing it had claimed lives previously. Nevertheless, she said she’s planning a similar journey in another part of Vietnam in the near future.

50 | iamhcmc.com/gazette

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Live Music and Lobster

at Le Méridien Hotel’s Discovery Brunch

If you’re looking for a brunch that will please both children and adults alike, look no further than the Sunday Discovery Brunch at Le Méridien hotel. Free-flow champagne and all you can eat chocolate, every one leaves a winner. Sunday afternoon at the Latitude 10 Lounge in Le Méridien hotel: guests filter in just before noon and head towards the Bloody Mary bar, a service that is included in the price of the Discovery Brunch. The bartender pours tomato juice, vodka and all the requisite spices into glasses, tops them off with bacon and shrimp skewers and delivers a round of the rubycoloured cocktails to a group of friends. Just behind them a family of four has arrived. The two children run past the bar towards the play area complete with a nanny, while the parents order their drinks. The mood is cheerful in the lounge as the guests finish their cocktails and make their way upstairs to the Latest Recipe restaurant on the second floor. Executive Chef Frederic Meynard is there to greet guests and present his weekly brunch selections. From oysters imported from France to an extravagant display of Boston lobster and local seafood, the Discovery Brunch is vitalised by top notch ingredients and luxury imports. From the moment that diners walk into the restaurant they embark on a culinary journey. There is a Japanese corner serving fresh sashimi,

a Chinese station with Peking duck, and an area dedicated to homemade pasta prepared sur mesure. In addition to the intercontinental offerings, there are Vietnamese specialities on display. Sapa trout —steamed whole and served with a choice of sauces—is exclusive to Le Méridien hotel. Other stand-out dishes include the smoked salmon made in-house, the grilling station where guests can choose between the meats of the day, and the cheese buffet featuring cheeses from Europe and Australia.

For Chef Meynard, “The most important thing is not only cooking the dish, it is also about knowing the story behind it.” Meynard hails from a French region called Perigord, which is known for its foie gras. Therefore, it is perhaps unsurprising that foie gras is featured in two fashions at the brunch: either grilled or presented in the classic French way after being slow cooked in a terrine. The dish closest to Chef Meynard’s heart is his Veal Blanquette, adapted from his grandmother’s recipe. But what is there to drink? Champagne, of course. The house choice is from the

Taittinger Estate and is served free-flow with the champagne brunch. Jacob’s Creek sparkling is also available. For cocktail lovers there are martinis made to order with chili or lychee vodka or with an olive garnish for the classicists. The Discovery Brunch at Le Méridien runs between 11 a.m. and 4 p.m., making it the longest brunch in town. The emphasis is on creating a convivial, family-friendly atmosphere. A duo of live musicians add to the ambience with classical Spanish guitar. Children can often be the toughest critics but Le Méridien has a special treat in store. Not only is there a corner devoted to chocolate in all its incarnations, there is also a chocolate fountain for dipping strawberries, or homemade marshmallows. Finish the meal off with an Italian coffee and rest up until the next feast.

Details Le Méridien Saigon 3C Ton Duc Thang Street, District 1 (+84) 28 6263 6688 Bloody Marys served in the Latitude 10 Lounge from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. Brunch served in the Latest Recipe Restaurant from noon to 4 p.m. 1.500,000++ VND for non-alcohol package 1,700,000++VND for sparkling rosé package 1,900,000++VND for Taittinger champagne package Children under 10 pay half-price. 51

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