Entrepreneur Dang Van Thanh: 'Business life is only successful when the family is successful, the person becomes a person'

Entrepreneur Dang Van Thanh: 'Business life is only successful when the family is successful, the person becomes a person'

On the desk of Mr. Dang Van Thanh, Chairman of TTC Group, dedicates the best corner to the picture of him and his grandson, next to his wife - "Queen of Sugar" Huynh Bich Ngoc. Showing off a picture of his niece who is just over 1 year old, he "closed": Entrepreneurial life is only successful when the family is successful, and you become a person yourself.

"I am always ready to accept any challenge and opportunity. An entrepreneur is always in such a prepared state. Without commitment, we will never develop". Photo: Le Quan

In a story with Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Magazine Spring 2023, Mr. Dang Van Thanh excitedly talked about accelerating investment in a series of new destinations, plans to do tourism after the pandemic. He believes the tourism industry will prosper in the first quarter of 2023 and return to normal by the end of the year.
DOING TOURISM, BEYOND THE RIGHT STRATEGY, I FEEL LUCK
- Compared to many other businesses, TTC can be said to be behind, but has placed its presence in tourist attractions across the country such as Hue, Hoi An, Nha Trang, Phan Thiet, Da Lat, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho ... and abroad is Cambodia. What's so special about this field that appeals to you, a person of finance and agriculture?
-TTC Group has more than 43 years of operation in the market. In the real investment areas, tourism is later, about 10 years. But the reality is that travel is always on our list of investment priorities.

But for nearly 10 years, that is the number of years TTC has been operating professionally and methodically, but we have done it before. Initially, we came to tourism through participating in the equitization of state-owned enterprises.

Because tourism is considered one of the largest economic sectors in the world and the fastest growing. This smokeless industry in recent years has become a spearhead economic sector, and is known as the "local export" industry that developed countries focus on.

By 2014, we started to chain together, positioning tourism as an important business segment along with other key segments of the group. Marked the development by the M&A of Vietnam Golf Tourism Joint Stock Company. In 2015, along with the construction and renovation of the hotel system, TTC also gradually completed the new brand identity system.
- But why did you choose 2014 to do tourism strongly and not another time. Did he leave the financial sector during this time and have more time to focus?
- It's just a coincidence. As I said, tourism has been in the development orientation of TTC. It's just that we choose when to expand strongly, becoming a key area of TTC's org chart. And 2014 is the time when it makes sense to me.
Until today, perhaps everyone has seen TTC's determination in the field of tourism. I have to admit that, in addition to having the right strategic vision, there is also an element of luck. We have prime resorts and hotels in most of the important tourist destinations.
Like in Da Lat, TTC owns the Valley of Love Resort, Mong Mo Hill, Ngoc Lan Hotel… In Binh Thuan, we have Ta Cu Resort, hotels and resorts on the beach. Nha Trang has TTC Michelia hotel right in the city center. In particular, we are investing in Doc Let, an attractive destination for both foreign and domestic tourists. Nha Trang people also love and often come to Doc Let to have fun, because this place has a long, beautiful and safe white sand beach.
We are investing in many interesting entertainment and resort items here, so that visitors have more options for their travel. In particular, tourists are very interested in the 5 ha red phoenix forest that we plant here. The red phoenix forest every summer, creates a special highlight for the whole area.
- What makes you choose phoenix and not another flower, because phoenix blooms only seasonally, while other flowers can bloom all year round?
- I find the phoenix flower very bright, but it is associated with our ambitions and memories, because everyone has gone through the time of students and exciting youth. Phuong is a typical flower of the tropics, so why not take advantage of it to introduce to tourists in temperate countries. I think of many Vietnamese people who come to Japan sometimes just to see cherry blossoms. So I decided to choose phoenix as the highlight of TTC's tourist attractions.

Every time I come to Doc Let, I look at the forest of brilliant phoenix flowers. This highlight of the phoenix forest I call our success and pride.
- But phoenix only blooms in the summer. Do you intend to intervene so that guests can see this flower all year round, which means attracting more visitors?
- No, I do green tourism and I think it is necessary to respect nature. Every flower has to be in season, I have to accept it. I will not use scientific methods to interfere with phoenix blooms out of season.
I think I should give everything just enough, or a little less, for customers to find, they feel "craving".
I HAVE BEEN TOURISM FROM ANOTHER MISSION
- Over the past 10 years, TTC has spent huge resources investing in tourism. How do you see the advantages of tourism from this point on, so you decided to put so much effort into it?
- As I said at the beginning, this smokeless industry is very invested by developed countries. But at TTC, I have another mission, which is for the mental health and happiness of nearly 7,000 employees. I am always proud that I have a workforce of thousands, and there are many people from the time their hair was blue to now, their hair is covered with silver, they go all their lives with the growth of the corporation. I want my officers, employees and their relatives to have places to travel, rest and entertain. They will be proud of the place they work and stick around when they come to any locality and see TTC's familiar purple tourist logo.

When an employee brings their loved ones to travel, relax at TTC hotel, eat at TTC restaurant, entertain at TTC's amusement parks, they will be very proud. Proud of the place where they work professionally, full of important business areas, proud that they are taken care of from material to spiritual.
- The current situation is that tourism in the localities after a period of development is getting old, there is nothing to attract guests to stay longer. He has a direction to refresh where he goes, or links to create more attractive products. Is it important for guests to stay longer, spend more?
This is my concern. As you can see, we lag behind other tourism businesses. But that way I can prepare more, learn from experience. For example, Ta Cu tourist area in Binh Thuan. This is a special destination, but the investment is not worthy, it has not been identified as a destination of any kind, so it has not attracted visitors.
I come and think differently. We will organize this place into a spiritual tourist area, build more resorts for pilgrims and visitors. There will be no more savory dishes sold at restaurants in this area, only vegetarian restaurants.
Or like in Da Lat, after many years of exploiting the available advantages, the value must be increased. We have been renewing TTC World - Valley of Love, with many entertainment and entertainment categories. We are about to start construction of a glass bridge with the most modern 7D technology, to create a highlight to attract tourists to this city.
Of course, I want but must be supported, businesses in the same industry shake hands. Many hands will clap so they cry, but 1-2 businesses want to change but many others do not join hands, it is very difficult.
Old or not old, first by each business they see and change. I do business in any field, I have to change it in an upward direction, so customers and myself will not be bored.
In tourism, the novelty factor must be given more importance. Refreshing destination, renewing service, professionalism in business so that old customers come back, new customers are excited to discover, it is an art, a strategy that must be built and continuously updated.

- And it seems to me that with every event you have new interesting businesses?
- Maybe it's true! And coming here, TTC will surely have many more new and interesting businesses.
Thank you and wish TTC a successful new year with many new projects!
 
According to Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Magazine