The top 119 businesses in Vietnam’s hospitality industry were honored at the annual Guide Awards, the tenth so far, presented by the Vietnam Economic Times, at a ceremony in Ho Chi Minh City on June 5.

The Caravelle Hotel, one of this year Guide Awards winners, celebrates its 50th during May 2009 (Photo: Tuong Thuy)

The annual Guide Awards aims to honor and encourage businesses to increase the quality of products and services

The organizing committee also paid attention to environmental aspects with ‘Green Lotus” awards presented to eight businesses in recognition of their efforts to operate in an environmentally friendly manner by treating waste and waste water, saving energy, or introducing creative ideas to protect and safeguard the environment.

The ‘Green Lotus” winners were Anoasis Beach Resort, Binh An village Resort, Hoi An Riverside Resort, Ho Tram Beach Resort&Spa, Princess D’Annam Resort&Spa, Swiss-Bel Hotel Golden Sand Resort&Spa Hoi An, the Pilgrimage Village, and Victoria Phan Thiet Beach Resort&Spa.

Along with the awards ceremony, the Vietnam Economics Times also held a seminar on the relationship between the hospitality sector and the environment.

The seminar covered the experiences that Vietnam and other countries have had in using solar energy in resorts, developing maritime tourist destinations and protecting the sea’s ecology.

VietNamNet/SGGP