Born in the midst of the pandemic – December 2020, SOJO Hotels represents a completely new hotel model and is the only nomination from Vietnam for Asia’s Leading Lifestyle Hotel by World Travel Awards.
Hospitality and tourism – The unforgettable years
Back in the 1990s, Vietnam only had 250,000 international visitors per year, with 350 lodging establishments. Two decades later, foreign visitors had increased to 18 million, spreading across 30,000 hotels over the country in 2019. The impressive growth figures clearly demonstrated the great potential of Vietnam’s tourism market. The global industry’s leading and most prestigious award system, World Travel Awards, has also crowned the country twice in a row as Asia’s Leading Heritage Destination, Asia’s Leading Cultural Destination, and Asia’s Leading Culinary Destination.
However, in the last two years, Covid-19, along with strict measures taken to contain the pandemic has limited travel activities, severely affecting the global tourism and hospitality industry. Thus, hoteliers must explore new ways to adapt to the rapid changes of the market.
The sector has been familiar with such concepts as condotels, resorts, and hostels, all focused on in-person contacts. Under the impact of the pandemic, however, it is seeing the guests demand a new hotel model that provides contactless services. Responding to the market demand and adapting to Covid-related changes in the economy, Vietnam’s first refreshing smart hotel chain has been conceived and become SOJO Hotels.
The story of SOJO Hotels – The first refreshing smart hotel chain in Vietnam
Considered a revolution stemming from realistic market demand and lodging requirements during the “new normal” period, SOJO Hotels presents a brand new customer-centric hotel model.
Guests staying at SOJO Hotels will get acquainted with the “touchless hotel” concept, with touchless experiences ranging from checking in and out, receiving the key and unlocking the room, to starting the in-room appliances, all of which are automated through the SOJO app system (smartphone app). In particular, with the SOJO app as control center for all activities in their experiential journey, our guests can check-in/check-out at an automated kiosk with their Face ID (facial recognition) or easily adjust the light and room temperature to suit their preferences and mood. They can thereby minimize physical contact (e.g. buttons, switches, door locks, and curtains), as well as avoid direct contact with a person. By making the most of new technologies, SOJO Hotels has created a safe haven that is refreshingly smart for our guests, especially against the Covid-19 backdrop.
In addition, SOJO Hotels is deploying technology to record and analyze guest behaviors in order to create new and exciting services that properly and fully meet their needs. The superiority of Vietnam’s first refreshing smart hotel chain is reflected in the removal of traditional services that incur costs but have little use, while focusing on the amenities that bring about a complete recreational experience. Among those conveniences are the carefully researched double-layer XL mattress and bed, a window with panoramic view for each room, and a color-adjustable shower cabin. Each “touch point” of SOJO Hotels stems from our absolute understanding of what makes our guests satisfied.
Room interior and color-changing shower cabin at SOJO Hotels
Developed by TNH Hotels & Resorts, a member of TNG Holdings Vietnam, SOJO Hotels aims to become “the right hotel and the right taste” for our guests – a new generation of global citizens who are youthful, dynamic, and always looking for exciting things. In addition to the laser focus on developing core services in the room, SOJO Hotels invested in the JO247 common lobby, turning it into a social area and creativity space as well as an open recreation and entertainment complex, with full function bar, co-working area, cafe and food corners.
Strategically aiming to establish 100 refreshing smart hotels across the country, SOJO Hotels is expected to set new trends that will likely shape the future of Vietnam’s hotel market. Even in this challenging period, SOJO Hotels is bringing Vietnamese hospitality to the world by competing with heavyweights such as Hilton and Intercontinental in the Asia’s Leading Lifestyle Hotel category within the World Travel Awards system, which is like an Oscar for the travel industry.
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