It took a year to create a customized tour itinerary for two American clients.
On February 11th, a helicopter carrying two American millionaires in the financial sector, Jeff Grinspoon and Jon Thomas Foley, flew directly from Ha Giang to Gia Lam airport.
Jeff Grinspoon, a senior financial expert ranked 76th on Forbes' list of America's Top Wealth Advisors, currently manages assets worth $1.9 billion. For this trip to Vietnam, the two American millionaires have very stringent requirements.
These requirements include a unique and unprecedented tour itinerary, a safe experience with security as the top priority, and destinations that are pristine yet retain their distinctive local culture . These are considered "challenging" requirements, and not every travel agency in Vietnam is capable of meeting them.
The experience of riding a jet ski on the Nho Que River is one of the exclusive experiences designed for the American billionaire (Photo: Provided by the company).
Speaking to a reporter from Dan Tri newspaper , Mr. Nguyen Duc Hanh, CEO of All Asia Vacation (AAV), a company specializing in organizing tours for billionaire groups, said that before welcoming the two guests, the company spent about a year planning, developing a script, and designing a unique itinerary.
One of the stops for the two millionaires was Ha Giang, a land located at the northernmost point of Vietnam. Although famous for its pristine beauty, Ha Giang has not yet been on the travel map for the super-rich.
The reason is that the area suffers from infrastructure disadvantages due to the lack of an airport and highways. Meanwhile, billionaire clients are very time-sensitive. They have strict requirements for travel: minimizing road travel, not wanting to sit in a car for more than 30 minutes, and ensuring maximum security. Privacy is especially paramount.
After considering various options, the CEO of AAV came up with a solution: using a private helicopter to fly directly to Ha Giang. To achieve this itinerary, the travel agency had to work closely with local authorities to obtain approval from relevant ministries and departments.
Ms. Nguyen Huyen Anh (in red shirt), Director of the Quang Ninh Department of Tourism, during the welcoming ceremony for two American millionaires at Van Don Airport (Photo: Provided by the agency).
During their three-day stay in Ha Giang, the two millionaire tourists chose a luxurious resort with nearly 100 staff members to assist them. The tour company even sent a team from Hanoi to provide support.
The guests' itinerary revolved around a day trip to Ha Giang and a return to the resort in the evening. During their stay, the two millionaires expressed satisfaction and stated that they had traveled extensively around the world and enjoyed various services, but the pristine beauty of this region particularly impressed them.
From Ha Giang, the group of millionaires continued their journey to Ha Long for more experiences. The tour company again used helicopters, flying directly from Ha Giang to Gia Lam airport for refueling before continuing on to Van Don International Airport (Quang Ninh province). This flight route was also specially designed and licensed for the group of tourists.
Mr. Hanh remarked that this was one of the special aspects of this welcoming trip.
Mr. Jeff Grinspoon (in black shirt) and Mr. Jon Thomas Foley (in yellow shirt) are pictured with Mr. Hanh on a boat trip in Ha Long Bay (Photo: Provided by the source).
Van Don Airport has a significant advantage due to its modernity, scale, and proximity to Ao Tien Port, the gateway to Bai Tu Long Bay, which is less than a 30-minute drive by road. Furthermore, no other company currently operates private tour services to this area.
Before the pandemic, this airport used to receive commercial flights transporting international passengers from China, South Korea, Japan, and Australia, but currently it only operates a few domestic routes.
The airport boasts excellent facilities and is a 20-minute drive from Ao Tien International Cruise Port, perfectly suited to the specific needs of millionaire travelers.
For their Ha Long Bay destination, the guests had the entire luxury cruise ship to themselves. Although it was for only two people, every service had to be meticulous, luxurious, and unique. The guest's request was to explore pristine areas not accessible to the general public.
To create a unique experience, the tour operator deviates from the traditional itinerary. The cruise ship takes guests from Ao Tien port to Bai Tu Long Bay and then connects to Ha Long Bay.
Here, the two tourists experienced pristine, almost uninhabited beaches. To create this itinerary, the tour company had to work with the local authorities. Prior to this, the tour company also sent people to survey the islands and develop a detailed plan.
"We worked with the local authorities in Quang Ninh province and were fortunate to receive their full support. For this experience, we took guests to explore Bai Tu Long Bay, visiting places considered treasures for the luxury segment, and then continued on to Ha Long Bay. This suits the guests' desire to experience places that many people have not yet been able to access," Mr. Hanh shared.
The additional services enjoyed by the two millionaire guests included kayaking, exploring Cua Van fishing village, visiting Tien Ong area, and boating on Ba Ham Lake...
On the third day of their trip, the two American guests continued to participate in various cultural and recreational activities on board, enjoying the scenery of Bai Tu Long Bay and Ha Long Bay before moving back to Tuan Chau port to conclude their program.
Each itinerary is a bespoke product tailored to each individual customer.
Over its 20 years of operation, AAV has gained experience serving many ultra-wealthy clients from around the world. Mr. Hanh believes that although this segment accounts for only a very small percentage of the world's population, it has very high spending power and exceptionally high standards; each ultra-wealthy client can spend up to $15,000 per day, not including airfare (nearly 400 million VND). However, satisfying this clientele is not easy.
Clients demand that each travel experience be as highly personalized as possible, unlike the generic tours commonly found on the market. Therefore, each trip must be "tailor-made" for each individual, always ensuring creativity and uniqueness.
The travel agency used to organize private dinners on the island for ultra-wealthy clients (Photo: Provided by the agency).
According to this CEO, the most time-consuming stage is from the initial idea to the final product. Mr. Hanh likened those who create billionaire tours to chefs who have the ingredients readily available, needing to ask customers what they want and expect at the destination in order to create a tour itinerary that suits their tastes and optimally meets their needs.
Next, the travel agency needs to plan, survey, develop the product, test, and conduct trial runs of the service. The trial run is conducted realistically (except for the lack of customers) and repeated multiple times.
Before the tour group arrives, a security team will conduct a preliminary check and test the service. The travel agency will do the same to check for any operational issues.
Compared to other countries in the region, Vietnam is considered to possess many advantages to attract this group of tourists, such as guaranteed security and safety, a rich history and culture, diverse cuisine, and friendly, hospitable people. However, Mr. Hanh believes that to attract ultra-wealthy tourists, it is necessary to improve infrastructure and possibly apply specific mechanisms to welcome this special group of visitors.
"Creativity is key if you want to attract this customer segment," Mr. Hanh concluded.
Dantri.com.vn
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