Increase promotion, improve quality.

Báo Tuyên Quang•28/07/2023

A team from the Hanoi Department of Tourism inspected the operations of an accommodation facility in Son Tay town in June 2023.

Innovate to attract customers.

Following the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic, accommodation establishments were among the businesses most severely affected. Many had to close for extended periods due to a lack of customers and had to lay off staff. When the government fully reopened tourism on March 15, 2022, the strategy for tourism recovery and development was intensified nationwide, with Hanoi being one of the tourism centers focusing on many comprehensive solutions. Accommodation establishments gradually resumed operations.

To welcome this year's peak tourist season, especially the period when international visitors arrive (from September), many accommodations are ready to offer new services to tourists. Nguyen Thuy Bich Van, Business Director of Movenpick Hotel Hanoi (Ly Thuong Kiet Street, Hoan Kiem District), said that the hotel is currently upgrading its facilities and will open in early October to welcome international guests. The hotel will invest in culinary services, entertainment, and a swimming pool for guests, while also offering attractive promotional pricing.

According to Bui Xuan Dang, CEO of the Sheraton Hotel (Xuan Dieu Street, Tay Ho District), the hotel currently has a marketing strategy in place with many foreign partners regarding its room policy and service quality. The hotel's grounds, greenery, and amenities are carefully designed to create a green and pleasant experience for guests. Meanwhile, information from the Grand K Hotel (Pham Van Bach Street, Cau Giay District) indicates that guest needs and habits have changed after the Covid-19 pandemic, therefore the hotel uses environmentally friendly materials in its amenities.

In the Old Quarter, a popular area for international tourists, many hotels have been "revived" after the Covid-19 pandemic. Dang Minh Thoi, manager of the Boutique and Spa Hotel (Ma May Street, Hoan Kiem District), said that his hotel is now strengthening its image promotion and offering more flexible booking policies on various apps to connect with tourists more effectively.

In the outskirts of Hanoi, accommodation activity is noticeably vibrant. During the summer, many accommodations are fully booked on weekends, such as Medi Thien Son, Asean Resort (Ba Vi), Lang Mit, Glory Resort (Son Tay)... Currently, some accommodations are adding more experiential services for tourists such as herbal baths, mineral baths, health and wellness tourism, or combining with visits to certain attractions to encourage longer stays.

Professional operation is needed.

According to the Hanoi Department of Tourism, as of June 2023, Hanoi had 3,756 tourist accommodation establishments with 70,218 rooms; of which 603 hotels were rated from 1 to 5 stars with 25,550 rooms, accounting for 16.1% of the total number of tourist accommodation establishments in the city and 36.3% of the total number of rooms. The average occupancy rate of hotels in June 2023 was estimated at 65.9%, an increase of 23% compared to the same period in 2022. Besides the establishments operating efficiently and making significant progress in attracting tourists for long-term stays, many other establishments still have shortcomings.

According to the Fire Prevention, Fighting, and Rescue Police Department (Hanoi City Police), many accommodation establishments are currently operating without having received fire safety certification. This does not guarantee the safety of tourists.

To address the difficulties and shortcomings and improve the quality of services for accommodation establishments, the Chairman of the Vietnam Hotel Association, Do Hong Xoan, suggested that accommodation establishments need policies to attract back human resources and organize training to improve the skills and expertise of their staff, especially in communication, guidance, and welcoming international guests.

According to Associate Professor, Dr. Pham Hong Long, Head of the Tourism Department (Hanoi University of Social Sciences and Humanities), the travel habits of international tourists have changed compared to the past. Accommodation establishments need to use Industry 4.0 applications and digital communication to boost promotion and have mechanisms to make it easy for guests to book rooms online remotely. In addition, to encourage tourists to stay longer, accommodation establishments need to create tourist maps of nearby attractions to provide guests with more experiential activities.

According to Dang Huong Giang, Director of the Hanoi Department of Tourism, the department regularly coordinates with relevant agencies to organize inspection teams to review the operations of accommodation establishments; and issues numerous documents requiring accommodation establishments to strictly comply with regulations on fire prevention and control, food safety and hygiene, and disease prevention. In addition, the Department requests tourism businesses to quickly develop new products and improve operational efficiency to proactively welcome tourists, especially during the peak summer season and the peak international tourist season starting in September.

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