Face-to-Face: David Wicker, New World Saigon Hotel

David Wicker

This week, Travel Daily goes Face-to-Face with  David Wicker, general manager of the  New World Saigon Hotel…

1. Can you please give us a brief outline of your hotel’s key selling points?

Our main selling points are our location – walking distance from major shopping destinations such as the famous Ben Thanh Market and Saigon Square, and accessible to the city’s major tourist interests, while the fact that we were the first five-star hotel in Ho Chi Minh City gives us our strong product awareness. We also have the largest room inventory in Ho Chi Minh City, with 533 guestroom and suites, enabling us to cater to large MICE groups, with our 1,098m2 of meeting space. Our Executive Club Lounge – an outdoor terrace overlooking Ho Chi Minh skyline – is also very popular.

2. What are your main target markets, and are you seeing any rise in demand from Asia’s emerging markets?

Our business mainly comes from Japan, South Korea, United States, Hong Kong, Singapore and China. Since our main market is from corporate business, we are seeing growth in countries that have invested in Vietnam and most of them are the ones that have been mentioned. We have seen growth from other Asian countries such as Thailand, Malaysia and the Philippines but mostly from leisure travellers. China will definitely grow but the increase in Chinese travellers benefit more the three- and four-star hotels due to budget constraints.

3. What are the main trends currently affecting the hotel industry in Ho Chi Minh City?

The hotel industry in Ho Chi Minh is significantly growing. Within the five-star category, there will be almost 1,000 rooms added to the city’s supply in two years time, while two- to four-star hotels are popping up on every street corner. With the additional supply, hotels are focusing on upgrading their products and facilities to ensure they are on a par with their competitive set. Promotions are more customised and tailored to fit the client’s needs. There is more collaboration with local tour operators on how we can make the destination more attractive compared to cities like Bangkok, Singapore, Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong.

4. Several new hotels have opened in the city in recent years; what is your hotel doing to stay ahead of the competition?

New World Hotels is known for its modern oriental hospitality, thus service standards is continuously being uplifted with the main focus on incorporating modern oriental hospitality in our personalised dealings with every guests and associates.

5. What further developments can we expect from New World Saigon in 2013?

At present the hotel will focus mainly on service delivery ,which will include training enhancements, task and skills orientated improvements, guest service programmes and further development of our associate retention programmes including all general rank and file associates and focused efforts to develop managers for the future. We have looked at some physical enhancements, however they are, at this stage, still on the drawing board. But we will be only too happy to share this with your readers and you in due course.

By Mark Elliott, 2 April 2013, Tuesday 1:29 AM

Face-to-Face: David Wicker, New World Saigon Hotel