Organizing weddings of Indian wealthy people is an effective and globally widespread tourism promotion opportunity, opening up great room for the high-end and luxury tourism segment of Vietnam.
The wedding of the couple Manisha and Karik took place in three days (February 3-5), gathering more than 500 guests, mainly businessmen and owners of large corporations from India and many Southeast Asian countries.
This is not the first time Vietnam has been chosen as the venue for weddings of the global elite. Phu Quoc, Da Nang, Khanh Hoa, Ha Long... have welcomed many lavish weddings of billionaire families.
Each wedding not only brings direct revenue to hotels, resorts, event organization services, but also entails spillover benefits for a series of industries, transportation, cuisine, local labor, and destination image promotion.
More importantly, the guests who are famous figures are "media ambassadors". When businessmen, billionaires, and global influencers share experiences in Vietnam through social networks and international media, the spread far exceeds many traditional promotion campaigns.
Images of Ha Long Bay, Phu Quoc sea, Son Tra peninsula or high-class resorts appearing in private events of the super-rich have self-affirmed the đẳng cấp (level/class) of Vietnamese tourism destinations.
The case of US billionaire Bill Gates and his girlfriend enjoying tea on Ban Co peak (Son Tra peninsula, Da Nang) in 2024 is a typical example.
No need for a grand stage, no need for a massive media campaign, just a moment of everyday life of a globally influential figure is enough to make the image of Vietnam spread strongly in international media.
Vietnam has rare advantages, diverse nature, many world-recognized scenic spots, unique culture, friendly people and especially a peaceful and safe country.
These are key factors that the super-rich seek when choosing destinations for resorts or organizing private events of international stature.
However, to turn advantages into a sustainable profitable industry, we cannot just rely on the individual efforts of businesses or localities.
Wedding tourism, super-luxury tourism requires a long-term strategy, from flexible visa policies, high-class infrastructure, professional human resources, to building product packages specifically for the "super-rich" segment.
The tourism industry needs to be proactive and accompany businesses, instead of letting them be alone in the increasingly fierce global competition.
A lavish wedding only lasts a few days, but the aftertaste of promotion can spread for many years.
