Vietnam an attractive country for all travel needs: hotel exec

International tourists arriving in Vietnam in the first 11 months of the year saw a 3.8-fold increase year-on-year to 11.2 million. How has the recovery impacted the number of guests at Sheraton Saigon Hotel & Towers?

This was definitely a positive result. This year, we forecast the number of visitors would be the same level as 2019. However, the total occupancy rate since the beginning of the year has exceeded the 2019 level. We can see most of the recovery came from business demand, while the tourist segment was still below the pre-pandemic 2019 level.

What is Sheraton doing to take advantage of the growing number of foreign tourists, for example in terms of services and policies?

As a reputable brand in the hospitality industry, we always strive to ensure our infrastructure, people and systems are ready to serve travelers globally, for the purposes of travel, business, vacations or conferences. These activities range from organizing employee training courses, improving the culinary experience, personalizing the stay experience, promoting customer loyalty programs, and ensuring sales and distribution activities are ready to meet the increase in visitor arrivals.

What does Sheraton think about the future of the luxury tourism trend in Vietnam?

Vietnam continues to be considered an attractive country for all travel needs including business, meetings and relaxation. Many companies are considering investing or expanding their operations in Vietnam due to inherent attractions such as a large population, political stability and a friendly business environment. In terms of leisure tourism, Vietnam is considered a developing country and a new destination in Southeast Asia thanks to its culture, people, destinations, cuisine and history.

Which countries do Sheraton's customers mainly come from? What is the percentage of Vietnamese guests?

The majority of our customers come from the U.S., North Asia and Southeast Asian countries. The domestic market accounts for about 8-10%.

Are customers in the high-end segment still willing to spend a lot on travel, despite economic difficulties?

We are fully aware of the current situation. We may see a sharp decline in restaurant bookings as customers become more cautious about spending on entertainment. On the other hand, we are exploiting a number of distinctive markets and continuously renewing our culinary offerings.

International visitors have increased compared to the same period last year but are still lower than before the pandemic. When will international visitors return to pre-pandemic levels and what does Vietnam need to do to attract more foreign tourists, in your view?

Although we hope to see a more positive recovery than before the pandemic, the current global climate holds a lot of uncertainties such as wars, natural disasters, economic stagnation and recessions in some countries. We can say that Vietnam is still a country loved by international tourists. Therefore, tourism will become more prosperous if we join hands to promote it effectively in key markets.