Basic HTML Version
P
ham Ha does not hail from
moneyed stock, but he does
have what he describes as ‘aris-
tocratic’ taste. He has a deep
interest in luxury cars, cruises, and
playing golf, while he likes to enjoy
the most luxurious hotels such as the
InterContinental Hanoi Westlake or
Sofitel Legend Metropole Hanoi. He
is also about to become owner of a
luxury cruise boat.
His six-star Emperor Cruises vessel
will set sail at the end of the 2014. This
is not just to satisfy his personal passion
for boating; the Emperor Cruise ship
will tap the ultra-luxury tourism market
in Halong Bay – a market Pham Ha be-
lieves remains unexploited.
There are already around 500
cruise boats operating on the bay, but
Ha notes that most of the current crop
target the high-end tourist, rather
than the luxury and ultra-luxury mar-
ket. He plans to make Emperor Cruises
stand head and shoulders above the
competition.
“We want to create an experience
that touches the heart and senses of
the most discerning travellers,” Ha says
of his project. “Our customers will be
served like feudal emperors.”
The ship was inspired by the 1918
imperial cruise of King Khai Dinh of
the Nguyen dynasty. He travelled from
Haiphong to Quang Yen (now Quang
Ninh province), visiting Halong Bay and
Bai Tu Long, sailing on the best junk
available at that time.
Ha’s junk has 10 cabins and the
amount invested equates to VND 1.5
billion for each. The vessel has a tradi-
tional design using high-quality materi-
62
timeout
PROFILE
THE LUXURY TRAVEL
innovator
Luxury tourism is being redefined with Luxury Travel
Ltd leading the charge and the company’s CEO
Pham Ha
has overcome many challenges to emerge
as Vietnam’s expert in the high-end segment.