Muong Thanh’s development mission

As a major entrepreneur in Vietnam with successful branding, how do you evaluate the scale of the private sector in terms of the country’s ­economic growth?

The private sector has been a key contributor to Vietnam’s socio-economic growth over recent years, and the scale and quantity of private entrepreneurs are getting larger and larger. They are really sharp and professional in the process of establishing, operating, and managing businesses as well as in increasingly applying and updating the latest global developments in technology.

As noted in statistics from the General Statistics Office, the private sector contributed 43 per cent of GDP and 39 per cent in total social investment, creating more and more jobs for the economy. The impressive figures show that the government has supported effectively with practical policies to make a clear corridor for the private sector development, and promoted as the driving force and a stable foundation of Vietnam’s socio-economic growth in the time ahead.

How has your company ­overcome obstacles when it comes to the fierce competition of world-leading hotel management brands in Vietnam?

One of the difficulties we have to face is to compete with leading international hospitality management brands. They boast an illustrious history and some of the most prestigious locations worldwide. They have an unrivalled portfolio of internationally-renowned brands encompassing the entire range from luxury to economy, from upscale to lifestyle, and midscale brands that offer well-trained and professional teams of staff.

At Muong Thanh, we have built our authentic Vietnamese brand from zero. Thus, we have to find the right answers and seek for effective solutions for everything from building relationships and structuring our business, to branding our unique authenticity and human resources.

We also experience many favourable conditions. As a local entrepreneur, we are familiar with the local market. We are aware of the local business environment as well as having good knowledge on local cultural and traditional identities. With these strong points, we have been providing expertise for forming the most suitable policies and products towards sustainable development. At the same time, we also learn a lot of experience from our international competitors to create a strong team in order to help our brands grow further and quicker.

What makes your Muong Thanh brand unique and ­competitive against these global brands?

For more than 25 years, Muong Thanh has successfully expanded its range of services, becoming the leader in the Vietnamese hospitality sector with our own cultural identity associated with the development of the community. Muong Thanh Hospitality is now an Indochina-leading hospitality group offering unique experiences in nearly 60 hotels across Vietnam and also in Laos.

With a diversified portfolio of renowned hotel brands encompassing the entire range, Muong Thanh can meet the requirements of all target clients, whether they desire a business trip or relaxation. With many advantages and reasonable pricing, Muong Thanh hotels attract both local and international tourists.

Specifically, to cater for the diverse tastes of customers, Muong Thanh’s network is divided into four categories ranging from luxury hotels to regular ones. Muong Thanh Luxury is our most luxurious category of hotels, situated in big cities and world-renowned tourist destinations. With their large scale and unique style, these hotels offer visitors an atmosphere of relaxation that is rich in Vietnamese values, from amiable service to exquisite local cuisine. Muong Thanh Grand, meanwhile, is a group of high-end hotels located in big cities and suburban areas, catering for tourists on holiday and also business trips. Muong Thanh Holiday is our third specialist category of hotels, based in tourist destinations across Vietnam.

Prominent location is another of the big advantages of Muong Thanh chains. Convenience in transport links between tourist attractions also gives Muong Thanh a competitive edge. Moreover, even at the design stage, we have been paying close attention to our capacity to provide maximum relaxation for our customers; thus, our designs take great inspiration from the local landscape and maximise interior space to create a roomy, close-to-nature feel, with 100 per cent of our rooms facing the oceans and gardens.

Apart from promoting the ­authentic beauty of each ­region, has Muong Thanh ­applied any prior strategy to create specific services and products for your hotels?

Beyond providing thousands of international-standard accommodation, our goal is to preserve and promote the cultural beauty of Vietnam through our hospitality services. At every Muong Thanh location, we always incorporate our country’s cultural traditions and the unique customs of each local region. This not only attracts visitors to the new experiences offered at Muong Thanh hotels, but also helps promote local tourism products. In each region, Muong Thanh has a specific co-ordination plan that includes introduction to the attractions, local delicacies, and exploration.

Additionally, we operate all our hotels towards our slogan of serenity space and friendly sense, exploring the Vietnamese cultural quintessence to create authentic services and products. You can see our logo of eagle wings to symbolise freedom, and you can see tribal Thai specialties of pieu scarves, con dresses, ban flowers, and sticky-rice bamboo sticks at any Muong Thanh hotel as a mark of memorable signatures.

Integrating but not dissolving is the typical way Muong Thanh chooses to create the difference. We always approach new ideas to improve the quality of service, but always know to refine the essence and preserve the cultural traditions of the nation.

Who are your target clients when promoting Vietnamese tourism abroad, as well as ­attracting international tourists to the country?

We develop tourism through promoting culture and building our own business culture environment to transmit emotion and experiences directly to our clients. We are also building new culturally-experienced tours to attract both local and international tourists. For our target market, we currently focus on promoting 60 per cent towards tourists who desire relaxation, 30 per cent of business tourists, and the remaining will meet other requirements. With a diversified and flexible portfolio of prices and services, we believe that we can satisfy all the needs of tourists, as well as maximise the benefits for our guests.