In an exclusive interview with Gambling Insider, Hoiana Integrated Resort CMO Jit Ng discusses his new position at the property and how Vietnam is looking to push the boundaries of what an Integrated Resort can offer.
Ng discusses the seamless integration of casinos, hotels, restaurants and golf courses in a natural setting and what he plans to bring to his role as Chief Marketing Officer (CMO) at Hoiana.
He said: “What drew me into taking up the position as a CMO at Hoiana? I have a very simple mantra. I always ask myself, when was the last time I did something for the first time?
“For me, it’s about taking on a new challenge, new adventures. Hoiana, in a way, is a fresh face in the industry, a challenger brand so to speak. It has so much potential because it’s not just a casino, it’s really about urban township.”
Ng details Hoiana’s plans to further invest in the land, to create a township around the Hoiana resort.
He also details his plans to personally help steer the resort around Vietnam’s current travel restrictions and says it is now an important part of a business model.
He continued: “The tourism industry as a whole, not just integrated resorts, has taken a huge beating around the world. Vietnam has opened its border and flights will be coming in from the end of this month.
“What’s more, quarantine requirements have been dropped in Vietnam. With all these doors opening, our first task is to take stock, and understand the current travel sentiment, the changes in its behavior and how we reposition ourselves to deal with these changes.”
“What drew me into taking up the position as a CMO at Hoiana? I have a very simple mantra. I always ask myself, when was the last time I did something for the first time?"Jit Ng, Hoiana Integrated Resort CMO
“Are travelers slightly more worried? Are they more safety-oriented? Would they prefer specific safety details in their travel arrangements? We need to understand every single facet of these changes.
“For the last two years, the majority of the world’s populations have not been travelling. While I’m optimistic after two years of isolation, I’m also very pragmatic and take into consideration all safety concerns customers may have.”
The full interview will be published in the May/June edition of Gambling Insider magazine.
Cambodia and Vietnam ease travel restrictions
As already stated by Ng, Vietnam has officially reopened to international travel and will require incoming visitors to test negative for Covid-19.
Cambodian authorities will no longer require fully vaccinated international travelers to present proof of a negative Covid-19 test. Unvaccinated visitors will, however, still be required to quarantine for two weeks.
These lifted restrictions will allow more travelers to return to what was once a gaming hotspot pre-Covid-19. Cambodia’s Sihanoukville region in particular, in which over half of the nation's casinos are located, is still struggling from localised restrictions in southeast Asia affecting tourism.
ASEAN Gaming Summit 2022 analyses Filipino online gaming
At the 2022 ASEAN Gaming Summit Pop-up Forum, operators in the Philippines online gaming market – Calvin Lim, President & CEO, DFNN, Brian Ng, President, Philweb and Joe Pisano, CEO, Jade Entertainment – discuss the role of the Philippines Inland Gaming Operator scheme (PIGOS), its impact on the Filipino gaming market and their businesses.
Ng, summed up how PIGOS came to fruition: “What happened immediately after Covid in the Philippines is online operators started targeting the Philippines through local agents, and loads of illegal cockfighting was happening online. There was a real demand to try and address this. In a way, it was a perfect storm.”
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