If you were to ask Scottish national and international tourism graduate James Prentice, who’s explored some of the world’s top tourist spots, where you should go next — he won’t hesitate.
“Vietnam,” he says. “It’s an amazing country.”
He might be onto something.
Vietnam has it all: ancient temples, lantern-lit alleyways filled with the scent of Anthony Bourdain-approved street food, beaches straight out of a postcard, and shops where your bargaining skills get put to the test.
Just two months into 2025, Vietnam has welcomed over 23 million foreign visitors, 5.5 million more than last year, the Vietnam Law and Legal Forum reports. The country now ranks third in Southeast Asia in terms of international arrivals.
Still, Prentice didn’t just hop on a plane to sip on iced coffee and eat banh mis.
He travelled to Vietnam to complete an internship as part of a student exchange programme — one which offered him a front-row seat to the country’s culture, work ethic, and yes, its incredible hospitality scene.
And it was that warm welcome that left a lasting impression.
Compared to the more transactional service style he was used to in Scotland and Europe, Prentice found that hospitality in Asia, especially in Vietnam, was warmer, more attentive, and deeply personal. It almost felt like home.
Prentice is a BA (Hons) in International Tourism and Events Management graduate from Glasgow Caledonian University. Source: James Prentice
From Scotland to Southeast Asia
Hospitality isn’t an unfamiliar concept to Prentice. It was in May 2017, at just 14 years old, when he had his first taste of working in the hospitality industry.
“It was in secondary school when we were asked to participate in a work experience project, and I decided to work for Visit Scotland, a national tourist organisation,” says Prentice.
“In the town I live in, there was a shop for tourists to help advise them on anything related to tourism. I absolutely loved my time there, so I decided to keep going with the whole tourism aspect.”
For his GCSEs, Prentice ended up taking geography, history, and every other subject related to tourism. He even picked up French.
In 2020, Prentice enrolled at City of Glasgow College, a further and higher education college, for a two-year Higher National Certificate (HNC) and a Higher National Diploma (HND) in Travel and Tourism with French and Spanish languages.
After completing his HNC and HND, he pursued a two-year BA (Hons) in International Tourism and Events Management at Glasgow Caledonian University, Scotland’s top-performing modern university
British University Vietnam is the only university in Vietnam to earn a prestigious 5-star QS Rating for 2024, and one of the best for international tourism. Source: James Prentice
During his final year, Prentice was approached by the head of his programme for an opportunity to participate in a Summer Exchange International Tourism Programme at the British University of Vietnam (BUV).
“It was a six-to-12-week exchange programme in Vietnam, but I didn’t really have much hope that I’d get it as there was only one spot,” Prentice shares. “I applied anyway, and fast forward to February 12, 2024, I was chosen.”
As part of the programme, he received certification in natural resource recreation and tourism, and completed a three-month internship at the Imperial Citadel of Thang Long, a complex of historic buildings associated with Vietnam’s history, located in the centre of Hanoi, Vietnam.
While Prentice didn’t have much choice with where he could complete the programme, it was the best experience of his life, and even when it ended, he stayed for an extra three months.
“I loved it so much I stayed until December 2024,” he shares. “During the weekends of my internship, I would travel to different parts of Vietnam, and I built so many friendships there. But my experience with how hospitality is run in the country was unforgettable.”
Prentice participated in a Study Abroad Exchange through a partnership with Glasgow Caledonian University (GCU) and the British University of Vietnam (BUV). Source: James Prentice
Best way to learn about international tourism? Study in Asia
When you think of the best hotels or countries to pursue a career in international tourism, France or Switzerland would often come to mind.
But the truth is, Asia is the place to be and even French national and Associate Professor Dr. Joaquim Dias Soeiro at Sunway University in Malaysia agrees.
“It’s sunny and tropical, not cold,” the professor shares. “But there’s also the simplicity of the Malaysian lifestyle – everything is accessible here. And opportunities are endless.”
Prentice agrees too, saying “You’ll see all these photos of people travelling in Vietnam on Instagram, but to experience it and understand how amazing hospitality is in Asia, you need to be there to experience it.”
Prentice and a coworker at Authentic Asia™ DMC. Source: James Prentice
No one believed him when he said he was going to Vietnam for an exchange programme and internship. It even reached a point where they doubted the programme’s legitimacy and whether it was worth Prentice’s time.
It was.
“You won’t know until you at least try, which I did,” he said. “I was being told to go home, but I didn’t. I loved it so much that I stayed, and I even visited other Asian countries to experience the hospitality there. By the way, I’m going back to Vietnam to do a second internship.”
Yes, you heard that right — he’s moving back to Vietnam.
Prentice is in love with the country, and he’s selling his car and “getting rid of everything” so he can get extra money to go back.
Now he’s finally back in Vietnam as a Tourism, Sales, and Marketing Intern at Authentic Asia™, a destination management company (DMC) specialising in Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Thailand, Myanmar, Sri Lanka and India.
