Dusit International has partnered with Vietnam’s Saigontourist Group to drive tourism development in Thailand and Vietnam through strategic promotions, enhanced services, and the creation of innovative tourism products.
Under the terms of the agreement, both companies will share technical expertise, experience, and best practices to help elevate the quality and effectiveness of tourism services in both countries; as well as to explore opportunities for joint hotel development and promote each other’s tourism offerings at major events, festivals, and travel fairs.
Saigontourist Group’s expansive portfolio of hotels, resorts, entertainment venues, and conference facilities across Vietnam welcomes thousands of Thai visitors each year. Likewise, Thailand is a popular destination for Vietnamese travellers.
In 2023 and the 1H2024, Saigontourist Travel Service Company arranged trips for approximately 15,400 Vietnamese tourists to experience Thailand’s top destinations, including Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, and Phuket.
As a key player in hospitality education, with Dusit Thani College, The Food School, and Le Cordon Bleu Dusit Culinary School developing top talent for Dusit Hotels and Resorts and the industry at large, Dusit International and Saigontourist Group will also collaborate in education and training for tourism operations.
Gilles Cretallaz, COO, Dusit International, commented: “More than just a business agreement, this strategic alliance is a commitment to fostering mutual growth, cultural exchange, and sustainable development in the tourism sector. Our collaboration will undoubtedly lead to new opportunities and innovations, benefiting both our organisations and the tourism industries of Vietnam and Thailand.”
“I believe that through close collaboration and leveraging the growth potential of both groups, we will achieve outstanding success in tourism development, thereby contributing to the socio-economic advancement of both Vietnam and Thailand,” added Truong Duc Hung, general director, Saigontourist Group.
In her interim position, DaSilva will oversee TTC Tour Brands’ portfolio of six brands, which includes Trafalgar, Insight Vacations, and Contiki.
A study by MMGY TCI Research has found that destinations hosting leisure and business events have been able to boost their presence in social conversations and drive positive engagement within communities.
In a PATA-led webinar last week on the topic of Event-driven Tourism: impact and opportunities, Olivier Henry-Biabaud, managing director and partner, MMGY TCI Research, shared that social conversations surrounding Asia-Pacific destinations doubled throughout the period of July 2023 to July 2024 when events tourism was taken into consideration.
In tracking Asia-Pacific events that triggered positive sentiments and engagement, the study named Yi Peng Lantern Festival in Chiang Mai, Thailand; the Lunar New Year in several countries in the region; Bali Arts Festival in Indonesia; and Formula 1 races in Abu Dhabi and Singapore; among others as those that were most impactful.
The study also found that culture (45 per cent) topped the list of topics associated with events and festivals in the region, with tradition and folklore (30 per cent), arts and handicraft (29 per cent), and food/culinary (24 per cent) following on next.
Henry-Biabaud remarked that festivals and their topics could help raise awareness of a destination that might not be a primary tourism choice among travellers. Destination marketers should leverage niche festivals and events to speak to and connect with specific communities.
Further underscoring the value of festivals and events, Henry-Biabaud said such activities ranked second on a list of top-rated destination experiences. Outdoor and nature takes the lead with a 9.3 out of 10 visitor sentiment score; festivals and events was second with a score of nine. Street food, and museums and galleries ranked third and fourth respectively.
He emphasised that events and festivals could be a way to connect locals with the visitor community, and demonstrate a warm welcome to visitors, especially as tourism phobia grows in some parts of the world.
He added: “We tend to forget that big events are an amazing opportunity for visitors to blend with local people. Many of these events are usually made for locals in the first place, allowing them to share their passion with the world and meet other people from all over the world.”
Fellow webinar presenter, Benoit Badufle, managing director of Singapore-based Horus Development & Consulting, which is engaged to market destinations like Monaco and Brisbane in this region, further elaborated on the influential power of events and festivals.
Citing Monaco as an example, Badufle said the destination set out to attract the rich and famous by curating unique and prestigious events, many of which were first in the world or in Europe when launched. The Rose Ball, for one, debuted in Monaco in 1920 as one of the first global philanthropic events supported by the wealthy; it endures to this day.
Many of Monaco’s events are now a regular feature on the calendar. “They are very famous locally and internationally, and attract people from all around Europe and the world every year,” said Badufle. “They are a vector of soft power.”
He explained that events curated at the Grimaldi Forum congress centre are exported overseas, contributing to Monaco’s reputation as an intelligent destination. Famous artists performing in Monaco also help to bring positive attention to the country.
Citing yet another example of the power of association, Badufle said the annual Ernst and Young World Entrepreneur of the Year awards ceremony in Monaco has built an impression of the destination being “a stage for entrepreneurship”.
Badufle told TTG Asia that festivals and events are also a useful way to shift arrivals into the quieter travel seasons, and many in Monaco are scheduled during the shoulder and low season.
While festivals and events have the power to cast destinations in a positive light, Henry-Biabaud emphasised that destination marketers must also ensure that other supporting aspects, such as hotel accommodation, transport services, tours and attractions, are well managed to deliver an easy planning and travel experience for visitors.