About Us

Our background

The Australian Hospitality Alumni Network in Vietnam (AHA Vietnam) was founded in 2014 by Camellia Dinh, an Australian hospitality alumnus from the Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School to build a platform for Australian hospitality graduates and connect them to the right resources for information and support for their career opportunities and growth.

The hospitality and tourism industry in Vietnam has experienced impressive growth, yet there are many challenges in emerging markets such as a shortage of high-quality and skilled hospitality labor and outdated application of information technology. As for AHA Vietnam, although Camellia had spent a certain effort to raise awareness, the project was abandoned due to a lack of resources, support, and engagement. 

 

Picture: Camellia Dinh and Kelvin Hung, the Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School Alumni in an event to launch Australian Hospitality Alumni Network Vietnam at Sofitel Saigon Plaza (2014) 

In 2021, given the serious impacts on the hospitality and tourism industry caused by the coronavirus pandemic (Covid-19) with millions of workers have lost their jobs or have working hours reduced, establishing a professional hospitality alumni network is a way to create an effective Covid-19 recovery plan towards sustainable development of the industry. 

Australian Hospitality Alumni Network in Vietnam is now professionally run by an executive committee with board members and staff, industry experts, and community leaders to connect our exclusive members to future Career Opportunities, Education Support, Scholarships, Migration Services, and Investment Advisory and Social Projects.

About the Founder: 

Graduated from the Blue Mountains International Hotel Management School with a Bachelor’s Degree in International Event Management (2012), Camellia has always been an active hospitality alumnus who has a track record of remarkable achievements in luxury hotel Sales and Marketing and Events. Over the 10 years, Camellia has worked for multiple hotels in Australia and Vietnam. In 2010, she started as a Gentils Organisateur (G.O) in Food & Beverage at Club Med Lindeman Island, where she had gained her very first industry experience. As much as she loved the feeling of being able to make a perfect cup of cappuccino or to make the best possible suggestions for food and wine pairings for her guests, Camellia soon realized that her mind was about Sales & Marketing and she decided to pursue this career since then.

In 2011, As a second-year student, started as a trainee, Camellia soon became a Sales & Marketing Coordinator at Hyatt Hotel Canberra – A Park Hyatt Hotel. Her confidence has grown and brought her to various roles in Sales & Marketing at Sofitel Plaza Hanoi and Pan Pacific Hanoi. At the age of 26, Camellia was appointed as the Pre-opening Director of Sales at Legacy Yen Tu – MGallery before becoming the Pre-Opening Director of Sales and Marketing at TUI BLUE Nam Hoi An – a member of TUI Group – the world’s largest tourism company. 

The passion for the industry has opened many further opportunities for Camellia to take on many of her new ventures. In 2022, Camellia graduated with an Executive Master of Business Administration at RMIT University Vietnam. She’s currently working as the Pre-Opening Director of Sales at Fusion Original Saigon Centre and an Associate Lecturer at RMIT University Vietnam. She is also a Board Member of Business Women Saigon and Co-Founder of Wedding & Special Events Network Vietnam.

Camellia Dinh – Founder of Australian Hospitality Alumni Network Vietnam 

Moving forward 

We would like to connect with all hospitality professionals, hoteliers, investors, educators, and Australian alumni who are part of the Australia-Vietnam hospitality, events, aviation, and tourism network. You are most welcome to be part of the project, as an alumnus, a community leader, an expert, a sponsor, or a partner.

Please feel free to contact us via email at info@ahavietnam.org or fill out the below contact form for any queries that you have.