Want to see Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg in Vietnam: Not a simple matter

Billionaire Bill Gates (left) with Mark Zuckerberg - Photo: Billionaire Bill Gates' personal page

By the afternoon of March 6, information about the visit to Da Nang by billionaire Bill Gates and his entourage was all over the press and social networks. However, not a single photo of the Microsoft founder had been leaked.

It's not easy to see billionaires in real life.

Information about Mr. Bill Gates coming to Da Nang came from a news report in foreign newspapers. Immediately after that, the online community and many reporters continuously searched to verify the exact location of this VIP group's accommodation in Da Nang.

On March 5, the image of billionaire Bill Gates' private plane parked at Da Nang airport clearly proved that he was in Da Nang.

However, many people still doubt whether this VIP group is actually in Da Nang. On the social media channels with the blue tick of billionaire Bill Gates, there are no images showing the group being in Da Nang.

From the news that he was "staying at a 5-star resort in Son Tra, Da Nang and had plans to stay at a luxury resort near Hoi An", many people identified these two famous resorts.

On March 5, when contacting an international-class accommodation facility that often welcomes heads of state and world- class VIP guests, the manager of this accommodation facility told Tuoi Tre Online that no delegation from Mr. Bill Gates had contacted him.

However, if there really is, the information will never be revealed.

"Who the guests are and what their schedules are are all confidential. This is not only a request from the guests, but also our working principle to ensure that the guests' privacy is respected" - said the manager of a luxury accommodation in Quang Nam .

Many locals, YouTubers and even reporters were there to welcome Mr. Bill Gates in the old town when they heard that he would come to Hoi An.

However, waiting all day until late at night on March 5th, only saw tourists. There was no presence of any billionaire group.

"Multi-layered" information protection

A tourism business that often deals with VIP groups in Hue said that many people believe that wherever a VIP group goes, “rice-powered cameras” in Vietnam will be there to record. There is no way to hide.

But things are not that simple. Although there are many members from different departments, one of the strict requirements of VIPs is that the destination must commit to the information and schedule of the group.

"Because they are VIPs, the standards they require are also VIP. Any unit that violates will suffer heavy losses" - said a tourism business owner in Hue.

This is a strict rule, any image that leaks out from an uncontrolled source must be cleared.

It's not easy to see billionaire Bill Gates in real life - Photo: Billionaire Bill Gates' personal page

In Hoi An, there have been many VIP groups of heads of state, most recently billionaire Bill Gates, who booked a party, but then canceled at the last minute.

Or as before, the most noble family of the Kingdom of Bhutan also had a tour, enjoyed cuisine and learned about Vietnamese culture in Hoi An.

However, almost no information is leaked to the outside. The places where the guests go are also required to implement strict security, the travel time and route are also not announced in advance.

For reasons of privacy, safety, security… seeing a celebrity, a billionaire, a big politician is not easy.

The press and social media do their job. But how "confidential" it is and when it appears is not necessarily by chance. Most of it is planned.

The government respects the privacy of VIP delegations.

As of the afternoon of March 6, information about the Bill Gates group in Da Nang and Hoi An has not been revealed. Hoi An and Da Nang have tried to contact the billionaire to invite him to join the group for a tour, but have not had any results.

According to a leader of the People's Committee of Da Nang City, the city is very eager to welcome billionaire Bill Gates. This is a good opportunity to promote tourism.

Regarding the welcoming intention, a Hoi An leader said that this is a wish, an invitation showing the city's hospitality.

If there is a request for security and privacy during the VIP group's stay, local units will also fully respect and accompany them to make their visit and stay as complete as possible.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/muon-thay-bill-gates-mark-zuckerberg-o-viet-nam-chuyen-khong-don-gian-20240306160448567.htm