Day Two of the SiGMA-OCE Asia digital conference wrapped up yesterday after having taken a hard look at what is coming for integrated resorts (IR) and the gaming industry in general. The coronavirus has devastated the gaming industry, but has also shown that alternative options can be implemented with relative ease and still adhere to regulatory guidelines. As the world begins to slowly pull itself out of COVID-19’s grasp, some of the temporary solutions that were implemented to overcome the pandemic will most likely turn into permanent fixtures for the gaming industry.

One of the most talked-about subjects on Day Two was the topic of IRs, from Japan to Vietnam and more. The concept of massive entertainment resorts began prior to the coronavirus; however, it is now taking on a whole new light. This is primarily due to the need to offer a wide variety of options for tourists in order to become sustainable over the long term, and the Hoiana IR in Vietnam is going to be at the forefront of how this segment operates.

Hoiana is now in its first phase of development that, when complete, will offer a variety of hotels, gambling options, restaurants and other amenities. The multibillion-dollar project is poised to capture the growing Asian market, with a primary focus on China, South Korea and Japan. Steve Wolstenholme, the group chief operating officer at Hoiana, calls this market “vibrant” and a lot of emphasis is being placed on Asian high rollers to help launch the IR’s success.

Obviously, there is a lot that has to be overcome before Hoiana, and similar IR projects, can reach the level of success they want to see. As social distancing continues to be enforced, traffic at any gaming or entertainment venue is going to lighter than normal, resulting in an uphill struggle for any entity to reach the levels of action they once enjoyed.