The signing ceremony took place at the New World Saigon Hotel in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam. The MOU was formally signed by Mr Truong Duc Hung, General Director of Saigontourist Group (fourth from left), and Mr Gilles Cretallaz, Chief Operating Officer of Dusit International (fifth from right). — Photo by Dusit

Dusit International, one of Thailand’s leading hotel and property development companies, has signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with Saigontourist Group, one of Vietnam’s largest multi-service travel corporations, to drive tourism development in Thailand and Vietnam through strategic promotions, enhanced services, and the creation of innovative tourism products.

Under the terms of the MOU, Dusit International and Saigontourist Group will share technical expertise, experience, and best practices to help elevate the quality and effectiveness of tourism services in both countries. The two companies will also explore opportunities for joint hotel development and promote each other’s tourism offerings at major events, festivals, and travel fairs.

Thailand remains a significant source market for Vietnam’s tourism industry, and Saigontourist Group’s expansive portfolio of hotels, resorts, entertainment venues, and conference facilities across Vietnam welcomes thousands of Thai visitors each year. Likewise, Thailand is a popular destination for Vietnamese travellers. In 2023 and the first half of 2024, Saigontourist Travel Service Company arranged trips for approximately 15,400 Vietnamese tourists to experience Thailand’s top destinations, including Bangkok, Pattaya, Chiang Mai, and Phuket, where Dusit Hotels and Resorts has a strong presence.

Alongside its fast-growing portfolio of global hotels and resorts, Dusit is also a key player in hospitality education, with Dusit Thani College, The Food School, and Le Cordon Bleu Dusit Culinary School developing top talent for Dusit Hotels and Resorts and the industry at large. Leveraging this, Dusit International and Saigontourist Group will seek to coordinate efforts in education and training for tourism operations to ensure their respective workforces remain at the forefront of industry standards.

“We are delighted to partner with Saigontourist Group to strengthen tourism ties between Thailand and Vietnam,” said Mr Gilles Cretallaz, Chief Operating Officer, Dusit International. “More than just a business agreement, this strategic alliance is a commitment to fostering mutual growth, cultural exchange, and sustainable development in the tourism sector. Our collaboration will undoubtedly lead to new opportunities and innovations, benefiting both our organisations and the tourism industries of Vietnam and Thailand.”

Mr Truong Duc Hung, General Director, Saigontourist Group, said, “I believe that through close collaboration and leveraging the growth potential of both groups, we will achieve outstanding success in tourism development, thereby contributing to the socio-economic advancement of both Vietnam and Thailand.”

Dusit’s portfolio now includes 301 properties operating across 18 countries, including 57 properties under Dusit Hotels and Resorts and 244 luxury villas under Elite Havens, the leading provider of luxury villa rentals in Asia, which Dusit acquired in 2018. In Vietnam, Dusit operates Dusit Princess Moonrise Beach Resort Phu Quoc and is set to open Dusit Le Palais Tu Hoa in Hanoi next year.