PropertyGuru Vietnam Property Awards 2018 announced as industry enjoys new ‘golden period’

Annual gala ceremony in HCMC will recognise the successes and creativity of Vietnam's evolving real estate sector.

- Open categories for the best developers, design, and residential and commercial projects located in Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Danang, Halong Bay, Phu Quoc and Nha Trang

- More than 500 guests are expected to join the fourth annual gala dinner on 22 June 2018

- PropertyGuru and Oriental Media Vietnam announce inaugural Vietnam Property Showcase

HO CHI MINH CITY, Vietnam - 1 November 2017: Applications are now open for the fourth annual edition of the PropertyGuru Vietnam Property Awards 2018, presented by Kohler, to celebrate the finest real estate that Vietnam currently has to offer.

The prestigious awards programme, co-organised by PropertyGuru Group and Oriental Media Vietnam, is welcoming entries from Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi, Danang, Halong Bay, Phu Quoc and Nha Trang - making it the biggest and most prestigious, professionally-run real estate awards system in the country.

Since 2015, the competition has been recognised for its influence and prestige, earning tremendous support from local businesses and associations such as VNREA (Vietnam Real Estate Association), the country's largest property organisation.

For the fourth edition, official charity partner CARE International will present the CARE Special Recognition in Positive Construction Practices to deserving developer/s that demonstrate extraordinary commitment to occupational safety and well-being of construction workers, especially women, providing equal opportunity, training and security.

New categories have also been added for Best Resort Architectural Design and Best Resort Interior Design as a nod to Vietnam's growing reputation as a top resort destination in the ASEAN region. Additionally, the judges will be giving special recognition for public facility and corporate headquarter design to deserving companies and projects around the country.

"With continued strong GDP growth, further infrastructure development, improved connectivity and accessibility, and foreign direct investment figures reaching 70 percent year on year, we see a strong future for Vietnam's real estate industry," said Terry Blackburn, founder and managing director of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards series, who launched the 2018 edition in a press conference at the InterContinental Saigon Hotel with returning sponsors Kohler, An Cuong and Malloca, plus new sponsor Dulux.

"Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City (where our annual gala dinner is held) remain the sector's biggest draws, with their offerings of developments for different price points, from affordable housing to luxury condominiums. It's also great to see other locations, such as Danang, Ha Long Bay and Nha Trang, taking their place alongside the premier resort destinations of Southeast Asia," he added.

As Vietnam witnesses a new ‘golden age' in real estate, the PropertyGuru Vietnam Property Awards today is a symbol of a revitalised property sector that recognises and encourages quality construction and development, and world-class design and amenities.

CapitaLand Vietnam is the reigning champion of the property tilt, having won the coveted title of Best Developer (Vietnam), in addition to collecting 10 golden trophies and commendations in 2017. The multinational company, along with other domestic winners in the main categories, are now gearing up to compete at the seventh annual PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final in Singapore this November to be named the ‘Best in Asia'.

Thien Duong, managing director of Transform Architecture, returns as chairman of the independent central panel who will judge the 2018 competition. He lauds the continued significance of the Awards and the changes in Vietnam real estate, which are "for the better" and serve as a reminder of the domestic property sector's growth and evolution.

"Within our lifetime, the future of development of cities is clearly in Asia. But it's nowhere more exciting than returning to Vietnam and seeing all those cranes in the sky. The skyline in Ho Chi Minh City alone continues to change from month-to-month - not year-to-year like in many parts of the world today. I don't think there has been another time in history where the country is developing at such an accelerated pace," he said.

The head judge attributes this to the many developers that have joined the Vietnam Property Awards over the last three years. "They all have contributed to the country's built environment and will leave their lasting legacy for our children and their children."

The nominations to be received by the judging panel will undergo a thorough screening process and be visited by judges and local teams for inspection as monitored by awards supervisor BDO Vietnam, led by audit partner Jeffrey Ong Peng Lock.

The official shortlist will be revealed in the third week of May 2018, and the Winners and Highly Commended companies announced during the fourth annual black-tie gala dinner and awards ceremony on Friday, 22 June 2018, taking place once again at the InterContinental Saigon Hotel. At least 500 guests and VIPs are expected to attend to network with peers during the four-hour gala.

PropertyGuru also announces an additional partnership with Oriental Media Vietnam to launch an annual luxury property showcase, the inaugural Vietnam Property Show. The two-day public exhibition - to be held within three months of the awards gala dinner - will feature Vietnam's elite properties as well as regional projects for Vietnamese and foreign property seekers. Details of the showcase, including date and location, shall be announced shortly.

The PropertyGuru Vietnam Property Awards 2018 is supported by platinum sponsor Kohler; gold sponsors An Cuong and Malloca; silver sponsor Dulux; official portal partner Batdongsan.com.vn; official media partners DELUXE and PropertyGuru Property Report magazines; official charity CARE Vietnam; and official supervisor BDO, the world's fifth largest network of accounting and auditing firm.

For more information about the PropertyGuru Vietnam Property Awards, email info@asiapropertyawards.com or visit the official website: AsiaPropertyAwards.com/vietnam.  

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About PropertyGuru Vietnam Property Awards:

Returning for a fourth edition on 22 June 2018 at the InterContinental Saigon Hotel, the PropertyGuru Vietnam Property Awards is part of the regional PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards programme established in 2005. With a professionally run awards system supervised by BDO, the world's fifth largest auditing and accountancy firm, the PropertyGuru Vietnam Property Awards is the biggest and most credible industry awards in the country, with the top and emerging names in real estate celebrating the best developers, projects and design.

About PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards:

The PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards, the region's biggest and most prestigious real estate awards programme, is recognised as the ultimate hallmark of industry excellence in the Asian property sector. Boasting an independent panel of industry experts and trusted awards supervisors, the Awards has an unparalleled reputation for being credible, fair and transparent.

Established in Thailand in 2005 to ‘recognise the region's finest real estate,' the Awards was founded to acknowledge, reward and celebrate the highest level of achievements by developers and developments at a domestic and regional level. Today the Awards is regarded as a milestone event in the real estate industry calendar and attended by key decision makers and figure heads, as well as esteemed trade and consumer media. Annually, the Awards covers key markets in the Asian continent via a series of domestic gala ceremonies to recognise excellence within each Asian market, culminating in a Grand Final at the end of the year.

In 2017, the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards celebrates its 12th anniversary, and will feature domestic gala ceremonies in eight markets: Cambodia, the Philippines, Vietnam, Myanmar, Malaysia, Thailand, Indonesia and Singapore. The award scheme has also been expanded this year to include categories for Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, Mongolia, Laos, India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.         

Domestic winners from these 16 markets will then compete head-to-head in the corresponding regional categories. The regional winners will be announced on the night of the PropertyGuru Asia Property Awards Grand Final to be held in Singapore, in November 2017.

For more information, please visit AsiaPropertyAwards.com

About PropertyGuru Group:

PropertyGuru Group is Asia's foremost online property company. Voted by consumers in 2016 as ‘Asia's Most Influential Brand for Online Property Search', PropertyGuru helps over 16 million people find their dream home - every month.

Headquartered in Singapore, PropertyGuru.com.sg was launched in 2007 by two entrepreneurs. They had a vision to simplify the property search process and help renters, buyers, sellers and investors make confident property decisions - faster.

Today, it has grown from being a media company to a high-growth technology company. Beyond operating a suite of No.1 property portals and award-winning mobile apps, the Group also manages a host of industry-leading property offerings such as publications, events, awards and a project marketing technology platform - across eight countries in Asia.      

For more information, please visit www.propertygurugroup.com

About Oriental Media Vietnam:

Founded in 2002, Oriental Media Vietnam was the first established luxury media and event company aiming at introducing luxury in all its forms to Vietnam's elite. With its six digital and print media brands, Oriental Media Vietnam specialises in luxury lifestyle and bespoke products, ranging from exclusive watches and jewelry, to properties, interiors, resorts, spas, and fine dining.

With its deep and strong connections with the luxury industry and high net worth individuals, Oriental Media Vietnam organises luxury events and exhibitions in Vietnam. Amongst them are Salon Deluxe Vietnam, Soirée Deluxe Vietnam, and a range of private VIP watch and jewellery dinners and charity auctions. Since 2015, Oriental Media Vietnam is the local co-organiser of the annual Vietnam Property Awards Gala Dinner.