TMG – After many years of celebrating the Lunar New Year in Vietnam, TUI BLUE Nam Hoi An Resort General Manager Anton Bespalov has discovered the secrets of the traditional holiday in Vietnamese culture.
Amidst the jubilant atmosphere of the 2024 Lunar New Year, let’s listen to the stories of TUI BLUE Nam Hoi An Resort General Manager Anton Bespalov about the most important holiday in Vietnam.
1. What was your first impression of Tet Nguyen Đan (the lunar new year) in Vietnam? What was your most memorable memory? What did you like most about the atmosphere, activities, and traditions of Tet in Vietnam?
My first impression was, Wow! That’s something quite different from Western culture.
Amazing tradition to celebrate the New Lunar Year in the spirit of joy and happiness, smiles and merry vibes all around with Li Xi, Dragon, and Lion dances. A blast of colors and sounds. Yet the most impressive was the spirit of unity and family togetherness values.
2. Foreigners typically only celebrate the new year once, on January 1st, each year. What is it like to celebrate two new years in Vietnam? What similarities do you see between Tet Nguyen Đan and New Year’s Day?
Working in the hospitality industry, I would say it’s both challenging and engaging in terms of celebrating the New Year twice. A part of merry vibes and festive spirit, I don’t see any similarities between Tet and the New Year. In the last years in Vietnam, people started to celebrate the Western New Year out of curiosity.
From the hotel perspective, I may say that during the Western New Year, we are mainly welcoming foreign guests. The Vietnamese guests are coming in small numbers, mainly those who have been living abroad or who are curious to experience the Western New Year. And none of them would stay until the countdown.
3. Since you have experienced traditional Tet in Vietnam multiple times, what do you think is the most special thing about this important holiday for Vietnamese people?
The most important is to be with the family. For me, this is such a valuable part of Vietnamese culture. The Value of Family is fundamental and helps to ensure the continuity of generations, cultures, and traditions.
4. Have you ever experienced the Lunar New Year in other countries around the world outside of Vietnam as a person in the tourism industry? If yes, then what similarities or differences do you see between the Lunar New Year in other countries and Vietnam?
Well, I’ve been working in different countries with different cultures and different important holidays. For example, in Muslim countries, Ramadan is by far more important than the New Year. And the tradition of celebration is quite different. From my point and just as a personal preference, I like Tet.
5. As a person in the tourism industry, would you recommend that your family and friends travel to Vietnam during Tet Nguyen Đan?
Yes, I would definitely recommend people from other countries visit Vietnam and experience the tradition of celebrating the Lunar New Year in Vietnam. And our TUI BLUE Nam Hoi An as well, because we’re always ready to welcome you at any time of the year, especially during the Tet holiday. It’s not just a beach resort here at TUI BLUE Nam Hoi An but it’s also a place for you and your family or friends to discover the local community and culture in Quang Nam Province.
TUI BLUE Nam Hoi An is a joint venture resort between Thien Minh Group (TMG), Vietnam’s leading tour operator, and TUI AG, the world’s leading tour operator. Opened in the summer of 2020, TUI BLUE Nam Hoi An is proud to offer visitors a beautiful Vietnam on the pristine Tam Tien beach of Quang Nam province, from where visitors can explore a land rich in culture and tradition that is still lesser-known to many people compared to the ancient city of Hoi An.
| For more information about TUI BLUE Nam Hoi An and its diverse services, please contact:
Hotline: 1800599955 Email: [email protected] Website: https://tuibluenamhoian.vn/ |
Founded in 1994, TMG has grown from a company with three employees to a business with more than 2,500 employees working worldwide. Thien Minh is proud to be Asia’s leading company providing package travel services with the motto of customer-centricity. With four business pillars: Destination Management, Hospitality, Online, and Aviation, TMG is the perfect piece in journeys with diverse visitor experiences.
