Wink Hotels. — Photo Courtesy Wink Hotel
Wink Hotels, locally born and locally positioned to tap into the booming domestic travel market in Viet Nam, recently announced that it will debut its first hotel later this year, with the aim of expanding to at least 20 locations in the next five to seven years in major Vietnamese cities and beyond.
The first Wink branded hotel will be the 237-room Wink Hotel Saigon Centre at 75 Nguyen Binh Khiem, opening in Q4 2020.
Properties to follow include the 243-room Wink Hotel Danang Centre at 178 Tran Phu and a third in riverside Da Nang as part of a mixed-use complex with a 60-metre façade on Tran Hung Dao Street, along the Han River.
Conceived by the developer Indochina Kajima, operated by Indochina Vanguard and designed by AW2, the hotel chain will personify the dynamic generation emerging throughout Indochina, catering to their fast-paced lifestyle and immersing them in each destination.
“These are exciting times for the Vietnamese hospitality industry. There’s a massive, underserved market segment currently and it is our clear ambition to serve and inspire this youth market with a new and dynamic brand of hospitality,” said Wink Hotels CEO Michael Piro.
“Wink Hotels will be modern, bold and resolute in personality – reflecting a strong cultural identity – while being deeply respectful of Vietnamese traditions. At the same time, we offer guests a fun and connected destination experience.”
The Wink Hotels brand blends creative design with functionality, Vietnamese values and a contemporary set of desires.
Partnership and collaboration will be a signature of all Wink Hotels as the brand celebrates Vietnamese culture, creativity and commerce. For example, Wink has partnered with Toong, a Vietnamese co-working space, which will be featured in all Wink Hotels replacing typical business centres.
Fueled by economic growth and the advent of low-cost carriers, domestic tourism in Viet Nam grew 22 per cent per year from 2014 to 2019, registering 85 million domestic travelers last year.
And even now, as COVID-19 containment measures disrupt international tourism, Viet Nam’s successful management has prompted greater emphasis than ever on domestic tourism to spur growth.
Wink Hotels has long had the domestic market in its sights and with 48 per cent of Viet Nam’s 96 million population under the age of 34, the brand is set to become a vital proposition for young, aspirational and highly mobile business and leisure travelers. — VNS