Vietnam’s LuxGroup: Where Heritage Meets Sustainable Luxury
The insights shared by Professor Lisa Wan at The Economist Impact’s Sustainability Week Asia 2025 resonate deeply with the pioneering vision of Dr. Phạm Hà, Founder and CEO of LuxGroup—Vietnam’s leading luxury travel and cruise conglomerate. In an era where luxury must be redefined to meet the imperatives of sustainability, Dr. Hà offers a compelling blueprint: one where cultural pride, environmental stewardship, and human connection converge.
“At LuxGroup, luxury is not excess—it’s about enriching lives through culture, connection, and care,” Dr. Phạm Hà affirms. “We craft experiences that are artful, emotional, and environmentally respectful—because true luxury is timeless and responsible.”
Closing the Gap Between Tourist and Place
One of the core messages of Professor Wan’s research focuses on the “psychological distance” tourists often experience when traveling—an emotional detachment that leads to less responsible behavior. Her findings underscore the importance of creating a sense of belonging and empathy to foster sustainable behavior.
Dr. Phạm Hà has intuitively understood and responded to this challenge for over two decades. LuxGroup’s brands, from Emperor Cruises Legend Nha Trang to the newly launched Secret Kẻ Chợ Hotel Hanoi, don’t merely offer accommodation or sightseeing—they immerse guests in Vietnam’s living soul. Every cruise, stay, or curated journey becomes a bridge between visitor and host, between memory and discovery.
Guests engage with artists, dine on heirloom recipes passed down through generations, listen to traditional music on the deck of a heritage-inspired yacht, or walk through markets and ancient alleys guided by storytellers. These moments forge connections—and in doing so, transform travelers from outsiders into cultural participants.
Pioneering a Green and Cultural Luxury Model
Long before “eco-luxury” became a buzzword, Dr. Hà was pioneering a holistic model of sustainable tourism grounded in ESG (Environmental, Social, and Governance) principles. Today, that vision has earned LuxGroup significant international recognition: from Vietnam’s first VITA Green Award to the prestigious Travelife Certified Sustainability Award 2025, placing LuxGroup among the top 500 global travel companies committed to sustainable practices.
But for Dr. Hà, sustainability is not a checklist—it’s a commitment to legacy and responsibility. His “net positive” tourism model goes beyond minimizing harm. LuxGroup actively restores heritage spaces, supports rural artisans, cultivates local supply chains, and integrates Vietnamese art and identity into every guest experience.
The acclaimed LuxArts Collection, featuring over 500 works—many by legendary war artist Phạm Lực—graces LuxGroup’s yachts, hotels, and private spaces. It is a mobile museum, a living archive, and a proud expression of national soul. With art as both decor and dialogue, guests are invited to reflect, respect, and reconnect.
“Luxury and sustainability are not opposites,” Dr. Hà says. “They’re two sides of the same coin when we prioritize people, planet, and purpose.”
Leading the Way in Asia’s Hospitality Renaissance
Professor Wan emphasizes that sustainability in hospitality is no longer a niche—it’s a mainstream expectation. Travelers, especially younger and more culturally aware ones, now seek experiences that are authentic, ethical, and enriching.
LuxGroup’s answer is a collection of signature offerings such as “Five Senses Journey,” “Inspiring Journeys,” and “VnImpressive Signature Tours”. These curated itineraries awaken all senses and align with Vietnam’s heritage of harmony between human and nature:
• Smell: Traditional herbs, incense, and spice markets
• Taste: Zero-waste, farm-to-table dining rooted in local terroir
• Touch: Craft workshops, silk weaving, or ancient paper-making
• Sound: Folk music, ca trù performances, or waves lapping against a teakwood hull
• Sight: Artworks, temples, and the quiet beauty of Vietnam’s landscapes
Every sense becomes a portal—not only to personal pleasure but to cultural appreciation and environmental empathy. These journeys do not just entertain—they educate, elevate, and empower.
Tailoring Sustainable Luxury to a Diverse Market
Professor Wan’s research also highlights the importance of customizing sustainability messaging to different traveler demographics. While Asian and younger travelers focus on authentic practices—like no single-use plastic or organic farming—Western and mature travelers often seek third-party certifications and traceable impact data.
LuxGroup smartly communicates both. Their messaging to European markets emphasizes their Travelife and VITA Green certifications, while for regional travelers, they showcase local impact stories, such as partnerships with Vietnamese artisans, organic farmers, and heritage conservationists.
“We don’t just tell guests that we’re sustainable,” says Dr. Hà. “We invite them to live it with us—on every cruise, every plate, every shared story.”
Vietnam’s Role in the Global Sustainable Tourism Conversation
In Southeast Asia, where the tourism industry is both an economic lifeline and an environmental challenge, Vietnam faces a pivotal choice: scale tourism through volume or lead the region through value-based, sustainable models.
Dr. Phạm Hà strongly advocates for the latter. In his view, Vietnam doesn’t need to chase after mass markets or imitate foreign blueprints.
“Vietnam doesn’t need to copy others. We have our own treasures—heritage, humanity, hospitality. When we tell our stories authentically, the world listens,” he asserts.
With this conviction, LuxGroup’s work becomes more than business—it becomes nation branding through experience. Through his ecosystem of luxury yachts, artful hotels, curated tours, and sustainable practices, Dr. Hà is redefining what Vietnam offers to the world: not only sights, but soul.
A Vision for the Future
Looking ahead, Dr. Phạm Hà envisions Vietnam as a leader in regenerative tourism, where every traveler leaves behind not only memories but meaningful contributions—to communities, to culture, to conservation.
As Professor Lisa Wan concluded, “Sustainable tourism is about achieving harmony between environmental protection, social responsibility, and economic viability.”
LuxGroup exemplifies that harmony—not in theory, but in daily practice.
In a world eager for travel that matters, Dr. Phạm Hà and LuxGroup (www.luxgroup.vn) are proving that luxury and legacy, art and environment, profit and purpose can—and must—coexist.
