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Beneficiary of a CV glowing with names like Crowne Plaza, Shangri-La and Marco Polo, Ma is well positioned to take the reins at the Caravelle, a five-star hotel that has been at the forefront of Ho Chi Minh City’s hospitality industry for half a century. The first hotel in the city with air conditioning, the Caravelle was home to numerous news bureaus in the 1960s.
“Gary is full of ideas and bursting with enthusiasm,” said John Gardner, the hotel’s general manager. “He recognizes the value of the Caravelle’s reputation and its position in Saigon lore, and he’s already making plans to ensure we’re top of mind for business and leisure travellers as tourism to and within Vietnam continues to grow.”
A Hong Kong native, Ma was educated in the US and the UK, and began his career with sales positions at high-end Hong Kong hotels. A seven-year stint as director of sales at the InterContinental Grand Stanford in HK gave Ma unparalleled experience in increasing sales and developing eye-catching promotions, as well as superb business management skills.
“Coming to work at the Caravelle every day is like finding yourself on the page of a history that’s bound to be written,” said Ma. “The hotel has hosted everyone from Bob Hope and Michael Caine to George Bush and Bill Clinton. Anyone who knows anything about Saigon’s history knows its name. My job now is to make sure the Caravelle continues to hold its place at the centre of a Saigon that’s growing more dynamic each day.”
ABOUT THE CARAVELLE
Opened in 1959, the Caravelle won enduring fame during the American War (known as the Vietnam War in the West) as the city’s most upscale hotel and a perch from which to watch the war erupt on the city’s fringe. In 1998, the original 10-story building on Lam Son Square was completely refurbished and complemented by a 24-story tower. Today, the 335-room hotel reigns as Saigon’s most distinctive accommodation opportunity. In 1998, the original 10-story building on Lam Son Square was completely refurbished and complemented by a 24-story tower. Today, the 335-room hotel reigns as Saigon’s most distinctive accommodation opportunity.
Its restaurants include Reflections, Nineteen and the Saigon Saigon Bar, an indoor-outdoor venue that commands the top floor of the historic old wing of the hotel. The hotel’s story is told in Caravelle – Saigon: A History, published in Oct. 2009 in celebration of the 50th anniversary.
For more information, contact Ms. Nguyen Trinh Diem An in marketing at (84-8) 823 4999 or mcm@caravellehotel.vnn.vn, or visit www.caravellehotel.com
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