An Interview with Dr. Phạm Hà
Founder & CEO, LuxGroup®
Luxury today is no longer defined by excess or scale.
It is defined by meaning, movement, and memory.
For Dr. Phạm Hà, Founder & CEO of LuxGroup®, luxury is a living cultural current—flowing through rivers, coastlines, communities, and consciousness. As Vietnam repositions itself as a high-value, sustainable destination, his vision places waterways at the heart of national identity, green tourism, and refined living.
We sat down with Dr. Phạm Hà to talk about luxury in motion, the river within, leadership guided by purpose, delivering happiness as a philosophy, and why the future of tourism belongs to those who listen—to rivers, to people, and to time.
Luxury as a Living Concept
Q: You often say, “Luxury is Culture – Delivering Happiness.” What does luxury mean to you today?
Dr. Phạm Hà:
Luxury today is not about what you own—it’s about how deeply you feel connected.
Connected to place.
Connected to people.
Connected to purpose.
True luxury is calm, respectful, and intelligent. It leaves a place better than it found it—and leaves a guest more fulfilled than before.
Rivers Before Cities
Q: Many of your projects begin with rivers. Why waterways?
Dr. Phạm Hà:
Because rivers remember before cities do.
Long before skylines and schedules, there were waterways—carrying trade, culture, migration, and memory. Vietnam is, at its core, a river–sea civilization. When we reconnect tourism to waterways, we are not inventing something new; we are restoring a forgotten dialogue between people and nature.
Design with Conscience
Q: Is there a design detail on a LuxGroup vessel that best represents your philosophy?
Dr. Phạm Hà:
I’m drawn to spaces that feel inevitable—as if they were always meant to exist.
A deck that opens toward the river instead of dominating it.
Natural light used instead of spectacle.
Proportions that calm the senses.
Good design does not shout.
It invites silence.
Boutique vs. Luxury Boutique
Q: What is the difference between a boutique cruise and a luxury boutique cruise?
Dr. Phạm Hà:
A boutique cruise is about size and intimacy.
A luxury boutique cruise is about intent and consciousness.
Boutique speaks to how many.
Luxury boutique speaks to why.
In a luxury boutique cruise, every detail carries meaning—design rooted in culture, service guided by empathy, journeys shaped by narrative rather than itinerary. It is not simply smaller; it is more deliberate. More personal. More human.
Green Tourism Beyond Labels
Q: As a Vice President of Vietnam’s Green Tourism movement, how do you define sustainability in practice?
Dr. Phạm Hà:
Sustainability is not a certificate—it is a mindset.
It is measured by:
• How many local livelihoods are protected
• How gently a vessel touches the water
How long a destination can thrive without being consumed
Green tourism must be economically viable, culturally rooted, and emotionally responsible.
Leadership on Water
Q: What has water taught you about leadership?
Dr. Phạm Hà:
Water teaches humility.
You cannot control it—you must understand and adapt.
Like leadership, water rewards patience, clarity, and direction.
Force never works for long.
Flow always does.
A Refined Way of Living
Q: What defines refined taste or a meaningful lifestyle to you?
Dr. Phạm Hà:
Simple, but never shallow.
Quiet, but never empty.
Refinement is knowing when not to add more.
A Personal Signature
Q: Is there an object or ritual that reflects your personal philosophy?
Dr. Phạm Hà:
Time.
Not as something to race against—but something to honor.
Every journey, every river, every enterprise needs time to mature.
The Happiness Project
Q: Why do you describe Amiral Cruises for Presidents® on the Saigon River as your “happiness project”?
Dr. Phạm Hà:
Because happiness is not something you add at the end of success—it is something you design into the beginning.
Amiral Cruises for Presidents® is not my largest project, nor my most complex. But it is the one closest to my inner compass. The Saigon River runs through my personal memory, my national identity, and my belief in how people should travel—slowly, thoughtfully, with presence.
On that river, I wanted to create a place where guests feel unhurried, crews feel proud, culture feels alive, and the city feels gently reconnected to its water. If, at the end of a journey, someone feels calmer, more grateful, more human—then the project has succeeded.
That, to me, is happiness with purpose.
Vietnam’s Place in the World
Q: Looking ahead to 2045, how do you envision Vietnam’s role in global luxury tourism?
Dr. Phạm Hà:
Vietnam will not compete by being louder or larger.
We will lead by being deeper.
Deeper in culture.
Deeper in sustainability.
Deeper in emotional value.
Our story is strong enough—if we tell it with integrity.
Closing Thought
Q: If you could describe LuxGroup in one sentence?
Dr. Phạm Hà:
A journey where culture flows, happiness anchors, and legacy endures.
When Rivers Carry Vision and People