[Q] Could you give us a bit of a background on The Sailing Club Leisure Group -- when and how it got its start.
[SC] Peter Vidotto made his first visit to Vietnam in 1992, he saw the potential it had way before its current tourism boom. Peter started the now-iconic Sailing Club Nha Trang in 1994, with a small bamboo structure. Sailing Club grew with Vietnam to what it is now. In 2001 he opened Sailing Club Mui Ne and his track record serves to prove he doesn’t do things in half measures! In 2014 Peter and Louis decided to form Sailing Club Leisure group - the timing was right, and that as a group we have a lot to offer to potential partners and operators.
[Q] How has the group grown in recent years, and what locations is the company located?
[SC] The group has grown tremendously over the past few years, and we are now looking at locations and projects all over Vietnam:
- Phu Quoc
- Mui Ne
- Nha Trang
- Cam Ranh
- Phu Yen
- Hanoi
- Halong Bay
We are now focusing on all aspect of leisure segment, including resorts, restaurants, bars, pools, events and beach clubs.
[Q] Jakub, you have been around a bit, both in Vietnam and abroad. Please give us an update on joining The Sailing Club and the move to Phu Quoc.
[SC] I arrived in Vietnam in 2008 for the first time and have lived in the country a total of 7 years with a little breaks in between different posts. I was in the Philippines when I heard about the opening for this unique opportunity to look after the opening of our first Sailing Club Signature Resort. I knew it would be an instant match. I joined the project earlier this year and arrived in Phu Quoc in June, just the right time to be involved in the final stages of the construction and planning.
Since then, we started to work on the foundation of the hiring and team creation as well as sales and marketing strategies for the successful opening. We are currently looking at opening in Q1 2022.
[Q] Off the southern tip of Vietnam, the island Phu Quoc is more of a recent tourist destination in the region. Can you discuss The Sailing Club's decision to open on the island?
[SC] Phu Quoc Island has played a significant role in domestic and international travel for a number of years now and Sailing Club Leisure Group has found a perfect partner for this project. Our resort is owned by BIM Group, one of the most progressive hotel owning companies in the country. BIM Group has several hotels and resorts in Vietnam and they are increasing their footprint in Vietnam and South East Asia.
We believe that Phu Quoc will play a crucial role in post pandemic travel recovery for Vietnam and the whole region.
[Q] How would you describe the dining options at the Sailing Club sites? Will the Phu Quoc site offer the same type of options?
[SC] Most of our dining venues are focused on elevated comfort food. We believe that you don’t need a silver fork to eat good food and that is the strategy we apply for all of our concepts around our venues. We create concepts which are suited for the market and guest segments, we create menus which suits wide pallets of people and offer healthy and sustainable options. We hire chefs who are ensure consistency and who deliver quality products and show creativity.
[Q]. What type of entertainment and facilities is found at your resort?
[SC] Sailing Club Signature Resort Phu Quoc is a brand that gives people a different designed choice – your private residence away from home. We combine the familiar comforts of home with the perks and indulgences of the resort. Should our guest’s need an amazing handpicked Spa treatment or should they need a great workout to start a day, it is all available for them. We also offer some great entertainment in our restaurant Sandals, The Market, we feature Cooking Studio, Wine Room, Chef’s table all integrated into this venue. If our guests feel like partying in the evening, our iconic Sailing Club Beach Club is only 3 minutes away.
[Q] Where will you customers come from?
This is a complicated question at this point, we are pretty optimistic about the recovery (from the covid pandemic). We are expecting the domestic market to recover first in the following months. Sailing Club has developed a very close relationship with the local market (locals and foreigners living in Vietnam) and want to continue this relationship in the future too.
We will of course welcome other nationalities soon too, as we are expecting some great interest from the Korean and Japanese market as soon as the situation allows.
[Q] How has the Sailing Club Leisure Group coped with the recent pandemic?
[SC] Our group, same as many others, was hit by the recent pandemic and we have completed with the restrictors applied in the country where most of our properties were, or are closed. We have however used the opportunity to review our working ways and processes. We are in the process of launching some interesting projects and we have started to work on our Loyalty program for the whole group. We also have to acknowledge the bravery of our associates around the country who showed endurance and loyalty towards the group and the industry.
I’d like to thank Jakub Sippl and the Sailing Club for their assistance with this article, and for their many years of hospitality and allowing me to escape at their East Sea beach clubs for many years.
