Ten personal travel managers recently spent nine days in Vietnam on a TravelManagers exclusive “Lady Get-Together” famil that was specifically designed to showcase some of the experiences and locations most favoured by the so-called “she-conomy.”
The group began their itinerary in Hoi An, escorted by K J Slater, the Australian-based Business Development Manager for Vietnam Travel & Cruise. After a walking tour of the old quarter, they were treated to the first of many delicious Vietnamese meals – at Anthony Bourdain’s favourite spot to pick up a classic Vietnam baguette, Banh My Phuong.
“Hoi An was fantastic,” said Jodie Payne, representative for Cranbrook, QLD. “I loved trying the local food specialities and the town is so beautiful, especially walking along the river at night with all the lanterns glowing. The shopping was pretty fabulous too!”
While in Hoi An, the group also had the chance to experience Vietnamese culture beyond the cities, cycling along picturesque country roads to a farming village, sharing in daily farm life and trying their hand at traditional fishing techniques using round and cast nets.
One participant, Lois Crook, TravelManagers’ representative for Engadine, NSW, said she had some difficulty selling Vietnam effectively prior to her firsthand experience.
“The knowledge I now have of Vietnam as a destination, particularly for solo female travellers and women-only groups, means I can now sell it confidently. I’m already receiving some great enquiries from the content I posted on social media while I was away, and I feel confident of my ability to convert this interest into bookings.”
(L-R) back row: Maree Evans, KJ Slater (BDM Vietnam Travel and Cruise), Anne Maree Selmo and Lisa King; front row: Lois Crook, Sally Barron, Kerry Cleasby, Michelle Kingston, Judy Gillings and Huyen Thanh (Director of Vietnam Travel and Cruise)
In Hanoi, the agents explored the Old Quarter on foot, learned about hand-making and dyeing organic cotton, and took a cyclo tour of the city, before heading to World Heritage-listed Halong Bay for an overnight cruise.
“It was so great to get an understanding of the different areas of the bay you can cruise in and the number of boats in each area,” added Crook. “Our cruise took us to one of the quieter areas of this stunning bay, which made for a much more authentic, less touristy experience – knowledge that will be useful for ensuring that my clients have a wonderful time too.”
Judy Gillings, TravelManagers’ representative for Bateau Bay, NSW, said the cruise was magical.
“We had a wonderful Cruise Director, great food and the cabins were to die for. Personally, I would recommend my clients opt for an extra night here in order to really soak up the incredible scenery.”
The famil group also visited Sapa, a mountainous region in the northwest of Vietnam that is not far from the Chinese border, where they hiked the rice paddy terraces, shopped in Sapa town’s markets and rode a cable car ride to the peak of Fansipan which, as the highest mountain in Indochina, is known as “the Roof of Indochina”.
