Sedona Suites bullish on 2024 prospects

Which advantages did hoteliers like Sedona Suites Saigon seized to develop in 2023?

Albert Lafuente, general manager of Sedona Suites Ho Chi Minh City

The industry benefited from the robust foreign arrivals to Vietnam in 2023. From a very modest arrival target of just 8 million at the beginning of the year, the whole country welcomed 12.6 million at the end of 2023 – very solid arrival figures for the country despite the slack in air access versus 2019.

At Sedona Suites, we wrapped up the year ahead of our revenue and GOP targets due to the very strong booking performance of our online travel partners, and the development of our corporate and wholesale businesses. In the course of the year, we progressively improved our products and offered benefits befitting the rates that we deployed, giving more value to our guests.

We also have put in place a VIP and repeat guests’ programme, which recognises the guests’ loyalty and preferences.

What are Sedona Suites favourite services for 2023, and what’s special for 2024?

Everything that we do at Sedona Suites is centred on guests’ convenience and preferences, especially our extended-stay clients, whom we consider to be part of the family.

I don’t have a personal favourite, but it is always exciting to be planning and executing activities that involve our guests – from the Lunar New Year activities that are designed with them in mind, to our Mother’s and Father’s Day events, Mid-Autumn Festival, and Christmas festivities among others.

This year, we will be doing more activities aligned with our sustainability initiatives, which will be shared once the details are firmed up.

Serving long-stay guests is a competitive strength of Sedona Suites, why should they book with you?

2023 was a banner year for us, all thanks to our extended-stay guests. Whilst we have significantly grown our short-stay business, we credit our long-term residents as the key reasons why we have achieved such robust growth in our rooms and food and beverage businesses.

Our guests choose to stay with us due to the conveniences we offer - our unbeatable location, and modern and spacious rooms – all with stunning views of the metropolis, complemented by casual yet warm service levels that our associates provide.

Yes, Sedona Suites is one of the premier serviced residences in the city, but we go beyond that and extend hotel-like experiences so our short-stay guests do not feel alienated or short-changed because of limitations in facilities and space.

Can we be optimistic about a blooming year for the tourism and hotel industry this year?

The outlook for Vietnam’s economy in the next five years is very positive and with these vibrant projections, the country will continue to lead the region in generating the much-needed foreign direct investment to support the priority projects of the government.

The completion of terminal 3 at Tan Son Nhat International will alleviate the pressure on both outgoing and incoming travellers as we ease up congestion at the current terminal.

With better arrival and departure experiences, our guests will look at Vietnam not just as a one-time destination, but one that is worth a second or even several visits due to its attractive and unique offerings as well as its emerging sustainable tourism initiatives that will let the more conscious travellers feel confident and comfortable when exploring the country.

For us stakeholders in the hospitality industry, the development of the Long Thanh International Airport reflects the long-term commitment of the government to capture a bigger slice of the global tourism pie as we continue to improve the infrastructure to complement this destination’s unique and distinct charm.

Sedona Suites Ho Chi Minh City creates ultimate venue for business and leisure Standing as the city's foremost serviced residences in the heart of a vibrant metropolis, Sedona Suites Ho Chi Minh City offers an exceptional blend of luxury and convenience.