The story of a young man from the coastal region who went to the mountain town to do tourism

Spread the beauty of the homeland, awaken emotions

After many appointments, we finally met Don when he had just had a business trip to many provinces to prepare for a new plan of activities when the provinces merged. With a smile always on his lips and a charming, open, and sociable way of speaking, Don is an approachable and lovable person.

Hearing our question, Don immediately opened his heart: "I was born into an ordinary family in a coastal countryside in Phu Yen province. I have nothing in my hands except for filial piety to my parents and the dream of doing something different." The difference that this young man talked about was probably when Don left his hometown, went alone to the mountain town to study tourism at Da Lat University (in 2011) and started his business in the second year in the same field he was studying. Immature, stumbling, and failing continuously, but Don was not discouraged and in 2015 (his final year of university), Don officially established Happy Day Travel Company, with a capital of several million VND saved and a spirit of never giving up.

Chàng Dôn từ biển lên phố núi: Khởi nghiệp du lịch thành công tại Đà Lạt - Ảnh 1. — Don the Sea Boy

"Tourism is an industry that connects people with people, culture with culture, and memories with experiences. I chose this industry because it not only helps me earn a living, but also gives me an ideal: spreading the beauty of my homeland and awakening emotions in others. Ever since my student years, I have felt that tourism is not simply about service but it is the art of inspiration," Don confided about the reason he came to tourism.

"We cut our coat according to our cloth, starting with small car trips, self-designed "cloud hunting" tours based on observation, experience and love for Da Lat. I used to lead guests in the rain, take care of tours by myself and also act as a tour guide. And just like that, Happy Day Travel grew day by day", Don said. "The cloud hunting tour started from a simple thing: I used to wander alone on the tea hills and pine forests of Da Lat when I was a student and suddenly found myself standing in the middle of a sea of clouds. I believe that not everyone has the opportunity to "meet the clouds at the right time", so I created the cloud hunting tour not only for tourists to check-in, but also for them to have the opportunity to "touch the extraordinary in everyday life". The cloud hunting tour is an emotional journey and also a product that makes Happy Day Travel's own mark", Don shared.

Chàng Dôn từ biển lên phố núi: Khởi nghiệp du lịch thành công tại Đà Lạt - Ảnh 2. — Mr. Dinh Van Don received a Certificate of Merit from the Chairman of Lam Dong Province.

Do real, live real, inspire real

Don said that Happy Day Travel's motto is "do it for real, live it for real, inspire it for real". "We do not see tourists as customers but as "travel companions". Each tour is a story, each journey is an opportunity to touch emotions. We promote spiritual values and humanity in each tourism product", Don said.

Don's career secret is to listen, turn motivation into action and always optimize customer touch points, because each employee is a quality and different experience. "I believe that success does not come from "selling well" but from "being trusted". We do not compete on price, but touch the hearts of customers with real experiences", Don shared.

In particular, Don chose digital transformation as its core strategy, applying AI to software management, customer care, and product communication; while optimizing internal operations, automating processes, increasing efficiency while maintaining individuality. "We don't just sell tours, we also provide emotional experiences, enlighten the spirit, and help tourists slow down in the midst of modern life," Don confided.

Chàng Dôn từ biển lên phố núi: Khởi nghiệp du lịch thành công tại Đà Lạt - Ảnh 3. — Tourists join tree planting tour with Happy Day Travel

"I choose the path of an entrepreneur led by knowledge, managed by technology and connected to develop with the community. No one is poor because of their humble background, only poor if they refuse to rise up. Starting a business is a journey to find yourself, not to follow anyone. I don't do tourism to get rich, I do tourism because it helps me connect people, spread emotions and retain those who have loved a land," Don confided.

Sending a message to young entrepreneurs today, Don said: "You don't need a lot of capital, you just need a deep enough reason, a strong enough promise and a journey that you won't turn back from. And if possible, start a business from gratitude, because from there, all achievements have their roots."

"After the province's merger and airport upgrade, the inbound tourism market will explode, so my colleagues and I are building a strategic link: the Golden Triangle of Da Lat - Phan Thiet - Dak Nong tourism, a journey connecting mountains - sea - lakes, both imbued with nature and nurturing the spirit. Inbound tours to Lam Dong will help international visitors explore the depth of culture, nature and people here; conquer the great plateau and explore the vast ocean. We are leading the trend of international visitors wanting to experience the real locality, not just stop at sightseeing", Don revealed.

Chàng Dôn từ biển lên phố núi: Khởi nghiệp du lịch thành công tại Đà Lạt - Ảnh 4. — Tourists join the garbage collection tour with Happy Day Travel, spreading the message of a clean, green environment and responsibility to the community.

Perhaps so, despite going through the challenging Covid-19 pandemic, Don and Happy Day Travel are still steadfast thanks to the consensus of the team and the trust of partners and customers. From traditional tourism to digital transformation business, after 10 years of establishment, Happy Day Travel is now one of the typical tourism businesses in Lam Dong, creating jobs for dozens of official employees and hundreds of seasonal collaborators. Proof of this success is that Don received a Certificate of Merit from the Chairman of Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee (2024) for many achievements in production and business activities; was awarded the Top 100 Outstanding Young Startup Enterprises (2023) by the Central Committee of the Vietnam Youth Union and was awarded many other certificates of merit and certificates of merit from various levels and sectors.

Talking to us about this young man, Mr. Tuong Huu Loc, Vice President of Lam Dong Tourism Association, President of Lam Dong Travel Association, Director of Tam Anh Da Lat Joint Stock Company, sincerely said: "Don is a responsible, enthusiastic, funny person with the ability to quickly apply digital marketing extremely well. A very cute, agile and polite person. Don and Happy Day Travel are my trusted partners and my company as well as a travel agency always enthusiastically participate, accompany, sponsor and support well in the activities of the Travel Association, Lam Dong Tourism Association and tourism events of the province".

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/chuyen-chang-don-xu-bien-len-pho-nui-lam-du-lich-185250618043254668.htm