How to reduce costs when operating a hotel?

The workshop “Optimizing operating costs in hotels” took place on the afternoon of March 18. Photo: Hoang Lan

According to Vice President of the Vietnam Tourism Association, President of the Vietnam Hotel Association Do Thi Hong Xoan, the Government has recently paid great attention to tourism development by issuing many new policies, notably expanding visa exemptions for many countries for a period of 45 days. The number of tourists, including international visitors, has increased significantly. In 2024, Vietnam welcomed 17.5 million international visitors, with a target of welcoming 23 million visitors in 2025. "The Vietnamese tourism industry has developed a plan to attract visitors this year, focusing on developing sustainable and effective tourism," said Ms. Do Thi Hong Xoan.

However, the Chairman of the Vietnam Hotel Association also expressed concern because the tourism industry in general, and the hotel accommodation sector in particular, are still facing many difficulties and challenges. These include fluctuations in the workforce; prices of raw materials, equipment, and food are increasing day by day. In addition, customers are increasingly demanding and demanding service quality. "How to reduce operating costs, improve service quality, human resources, and at the same time ensure increased revenue and income for workers... is a difficult problem that forces units to calculate operations," Ms. Do Thi Hong Xoan expressed.

Hotels are making efforts to optimize labor quality. Photo: Novotel Thai Ha Hotel.

Providing solutions on how to optimize hotel operating costs, Dr. Tran Huy Duc, Lecturer of the Faculty of Tourism and Hospitality (National Economics University) shared that hotels are currently facing difficult problems, which is to create quality, differentiated products but still have competitive prices. “Customers are always concerned about price but service quality must not decrease, this requires hotels to constantly innovate and be creative. To reduce costs, hotels need to make scientific budgets and apply technology to optimize the labor needed,” Dr. Tran Huy Duc commented.

From the perspective of a hotel operator, Mr. Le Minh Thai, representative of the investor of Pullman Hai Phong Hotel, shared that in the context that units are streamlining their apparatus and optimizing labor, shifting the structure of operating costs is an inevitable trend. Hotels need to be flexible and creative in their operations and upgrade services to maintain operations and growth.

Regarding this issue, General Director of Silk Path Hotel Hanoi Nguyen Thi Thanh Thuy shared that with the difficulties in terms of human resources when in reality there are many high-salary recruitment positions but do not meet the actual requirements of the job, a retraining policy is needed. In addition, to optimize operating costs, units need to pay attention to controlling electricity and water consumption by using sensor devices.

According to Ms. Dang Linh, representative of Novotel Suite Hanoi and Novotel Hanoi Thai Ha, the unit is making efforts to apply energy-saving measures, including waste control. “We believe that recruiting personnel requires people with attitudes more important than qualifications, and recruiting the right people to have reasonable costs. In the service sector, the working attitude and behavior of employees are always the most important,” Ms. Dang Linh shared.

The workshop “Optimizing operating costs in hotels” brings open perspectives and lessons learned in management and operation according to new trends.

Source: https://hanoimoi.vn/lam-the-nao-giam-ton-kem-khi-van-hanh-khach-san-696167.html