Founding Partner of Journey of the Senses

Or

Social Impact Entrepreneur

Germ Doornbos and his partner Vũ Anh Tú founded Journey of the Senses; a hospitality company employing People with Disabilities (PwD).

Noir. Dining in the Dark (2014) serves guests who dine in a total dark dining room by a team of blind and visually impaired and Blanc. Restaurant (2017) invites guests to communicate in sign language with the deaf and hearing impaired. Là Hoa (2019) is a flower shop with deaf and hearing impaired florists. Guests can choose to send a video clip message in sign language with the personal wish they like to send along with the flowers. Noir. Spa (2019) employs blind and visually impaired massage therapists.

It is part social enterprise, providing job opportunities for (PwD) and part professional hospitality experience, it is unique dining and massage experiences for the guests.

Germ believes that placing PwD at the frontline and creating guest interaction is the way to increase awareness into the blind and deaf communities. His businesses are designed around the philosophy of turning the disadvantage of PwD around into their advantage.

The journey is not finished yet and Germ and his team have plans for more businesses employing PwD.

Germ is from The Netherlands and lives in Vietnam since 2004, in both Hanoi and Saigon. He has over 20 years hospitality industry experience and worked in various 5-star hotels and restaurants in The Netherlands, Italy and Vietnam.

Germ graduated in International Hospitality Management at the Hotelschool The Hague in 2005.