Luxury Travel Shifts from Opulence to Meaning: The Vietnam Perspective
By Huyền Nguyễn, with insights from Dr. Phạm Hà, Founder & CEO, LuxGroup®
In a world where luxury is being redefined, Vietnam is emerging as a beacon for travellers seeking meaning over material, intimacy over indulgence, and authenticity over extravagance. As global travel pivots from five-star opulence to five-sense immersion, Vietnam’s new generation of luxury entrepreneurs are leading a quiet revolution — crafting journeys that blend cultural depth, artistic soul, and sustainable purpose.
The New Luxury: Connection Over Collection
“Luxury is no longer about what you own, but what you experience and how it transforms you,” says Dr. Phạm Hà, Founder and CEO of LuxGroup®, Vietnam’s leading luxury travel and cruise conglomerate. “True luxury is culture — and delivering happiness through it.”
For the past two decades, LuxGroup® has championed a uniquely Vietnamese form of luxury: intimate, artful, and soulful. Its river and sea voyages under brands like Heritage Bình Chuẩn®, Emperor Cruises®, and Amiral Cruises for Presidents® offer more than scenic escapes — they are curated cultural narratives that invite guests to sail through 4,000 years of Vietnamese civilization. Each journey is a living museum, where fine art, gastronomy, and storytelling converge into what Dr. Hà calls “Stories That Stay™.”
This philosophy mirrors the evolution of global luxury. Travellers today seek not marble bathrooms or gilded suites, but meaningful access — to people, traditions, and nature. They crave private dinners in fishing villages, morning Tai Chi on the Red River, and the quiet poetry of sunrise over Lan Ha Bay. In Vietnam, such experiences are not contrived. They flow naturally from a culture that finds grace in simplicity and depth in everyday life.
Sustainable Luxury: From Consumption to Contribution
Vietnam’s new luxury landscape is increasingly shaped by sustainability — not as a trend, but as a duty. LuxGroup®’s 5G strategy — Go Green, Global, Digital, Proud, and Happiness — reflects this commitment. From solar-powered yachts and plastic-free operations to partnerships with local artisans and communities, each experience aims to leave a lighter footprint and a richer legacy.
“Luxury must give back,” Dr. Hà emphasizes. “We are guests of nature and culture. If we take care of them, they will take care of us — and our children.”
His vision aligns with a broader movement seen worldwide, from Bhutan’s “High Value, Low Volume” model to Japan’s slow-travel sanctuaries. Yet Vietnam adds its own rhythm — one where community, creativity, and compassion are integral to the travel experience. Guests aboard Lux Cruises often find themselves joining charity programs in coastal villages or learning ancient crafts from local masters, turning travel into an act of preservation.
Art, Heritage, and the Soul of a Nation
At the heart of Vietnam’s luxury renaissance lies art. Dr. Hà, an art collector himself and founder of the F. Luc Museum®, believes that every journey should awaken the senses and nourish the spirit. His ships are floating galleries featuring the works of wartime master Phạm Lực, whose paintings capture the resilience and beauty of Vietnam’s soul.
“Art allows travelers to feel Vietnam — not just see it,” Dr. Hà explains. “When you understand our art, you understand our history, our pain, and our joy.”
This artistic sensibility has become LuxGroup®’s signature: cabins designed as Indochine-style studios, dining menus inspired by imperial feasts, and music echoing the rhythms of the Mekong. For discerning travelers, such immersion transforms a voyage into an emotional journey — one that lingers long after disembarkation.
Vietnam Waterways®: A National Brand on the Rise
Perhaps the most ambitious expression of this vision is Vietnam Waterways®, a national cruise brand initiated by LuxGroup®. Inspired by the legendary Bình Chuẩn ship of entrepreneur Bạch Thái Bưởi — Vietnam’s early 20th-century “King of Ships” — the project aims to revive the nation’s maritime spirit and position Vietnam as “Asia’s leading luxury waterway destination” by 2045.
“Just as Vietnam Airlines represents our skies, Vietnam Waterways® will represent our seas and rivers,” says Dr. Hà. “It is not only tourism — it is nation branding through heritage, art, and happiness.”
The Future: Intimacy and Impact
As the lines between adventure, culture, and luxury blur, Vietnam stands poised to redefine Asia’s high-end travel narrative. The next generation of travelers wants to be moved, not just served; to participate, not just consume. And in this movement, Vietnam — with its poetic landscapes, warm hospitality, and visionary entrepreneurs — offers something the world needs most: authenticity.
Dr. Phạm Hà sums it up best:
“Luxury is culture, and happiness is the ultimate destination. When travel touches both heart and heritage, it becomes timeless.”
LuxGroup® celebrates its 20th anniversary in 2025, marking two decades of pioneering sustainable luxury in Vietnam’s tourism industry. Through its brands — Lux Travel DMC®, Lux Cruises Group®, Lux Hotels & Resorts®, and Lux Yacht Collection® — the group continues to elevate Vietnamese heritage to the global stage, living its timeless mission: “Luxury is Culture – Delivering Happiness.”