Hoiana integrated resort to boost sustainability
Hoiana integrated resort to boost sustainability
Central Vietnam is fast emerging as the new hot tourist destination in Asia, and its position as a must-visit destination will be further cemented with the opening of Hoiana, the giant $4 billion venture in Hoi An. The group’s COO, Steve Wolstenholme, told VIR’s Phuong Thu about its commitment to protect the rich culture and natural beauty of the local area while making a positive contribution to the local community and surrounding region.
Integrated resorts are quite a new concept in Vietnam. What is unique about Hoiana?
Integrated resorts are generally defined as mega-tourism, entertainment, and leisure developments that combine hotels, restaurants, convention centres, casinos, theme parks, and shopping centres. Given their , these types of resort are a boost to local employment as they require a diverse range of employees, often investing in training and personal development programmes for local residents.
Integrated resorts have a dramatic impact, enhancing an entire destination’s tourism appeal – boosting the economy, changing the shape of tourism, and creating job opportunities like never before. Beyond simply attracting more tourists, they result in incremental spending in local communities in multiple ways. They spur complementary developments close by, becoming substantial hubs of economic activity and attracting higher spending visitors. This increases demand for hotel services and provides greater patronage at restaurants, attractions, and golf courses. It also heightens the amount of conventions and exhibitions.
Set on a pristine beach just south of Hoi An and Danang, Hoiana brings together Vietnam’s rich culture, vibrant energy, and stunning natural beauty in one irresistible destination activity. Hoiana combines stylish accommodation, world-class golf, and exhilarating entertainment in the finest integrated resort.
We bring together three of Asia’s most trusted names in property development, entertainment, and investment management including VinaCapital, Suncity Group, and VMS. We will continue to forge new partnerships and work with reputable investors as Hoiana continues to grow.
Success of other integrated resorts is witnessed globally, with Hoiana expected to follow suit. How do you prepare and ensure efficient human resources?
At Hoiana, our priority is to recruit and develop local talent. In our first operational phase, we are looking to employ more than 4,000 employees to operate four hotels, one golf course, food and beverage (F&B) outlets and an entertainment facility. So naturally, the majority of our employees are Vietnamese and many are residing in the local region.
We have partnered with the the Arts, Culture and Tourism College to establish a high quality Hoiana-Quang Nam Tourism Vocational Training Centre using the existing Duy Phuoc College facility. This is a not-for-profit initiative as part of our corporate and social responsibility activities to provide hospitality training and employment opportunities to Duy Xuyen residents.
Enrolled students will receive free education and other benefits during the training program, and graduates will be guaranteed employment opportunities with Hoiana. We have commenced the first two courses in golf maintenance and golf operation and the first accredited golf training programme in Asia, a housekeeping and another F&B course.
Hoiana will set a new benchmark for high-end tourism in Vietnam, bringing economic prosperity and opportunity to the central province of Quang Nam. Beyond directly creating thousands of jobs, Hoiana will play an important role in supporting businesses in the community. This development is truly a game-changer for the central region.
What do you believe are the core values of the Hoiana project overall, and what are you plans moving ahead?
Passion (to our job, our company, product and service), obligation (to the guests and the community), and commitment are three words that may fit in our organisations’ core values. The development opens its doors to the world later this year with state-of-the-art entertainment facilities, a championship golf course, and luxurious accommodation managed by Rosewood Hotel Group.
Hoiana will continue to grow in the years that follow, with the development of exciting new attractions, a retail village and residential spaces, as well as new entertainment and cultural experiences. When all phases of development are complete, it will encompass 985.5 hectares of sweeping, beachside property.
