Hello Next Continent readers, and welcome to another Meet Our Team interview! Today, we’re thrilled to be sitting down with Kuỳnh Giang, our talented Marketing & Social Media Officer. Giang has been with us since the very beginning, so we wanted to take a moment to introduce the creative mind behind our visuals, posts, and overall presentation. Meet Kuỳnh Giang!
1. Can you tell us a bit about yourself? Who is Giang? Where are you from, who you are, and any experiences that have shaped who you are?
Hi, I’m Giang, the Marketing Coordinator at Next Continent. I’m in charge of Next Continent’s internal and external aesthetic, including everything from creating social posts, writing blogs, designing tour materials, editing videos, to even setting up promotional plans and coordinating with outsourced media partners. In essence, I like to call myself a make-up artist who simply loves making meaningful things and people even more meaningful and beautiful.
I’m originally from Da Nang, a beautiful coastal city in Central Vietnam. But through my work and travels across different countries, I feel as though I carry bits and pieces of everywhere and everything within me, all of which have shaped me into simply a human being from Earth. Still, at my core, I carry the vastness of the endless ocean I grew up with, which has instilled in me a deep sense of freedom, agility, and a special bond with water and nature in general.
2. Can you tell us about Cham Lung and your work online in the travel, mental health and advocacy space?
Cham Lung is an Instagram account I created when I began backpacking across South and Southeast Asia 2–3 years ago. The main reason I started it was because I received so much help from people I met on the road. So, as my 18-year-old, bald, and broke self thought back then, I should document these insights and experiences for those who might need them for their travels one day.
Another reason was that most travel content online looked so rich, and I wasn’t. I travelled with less than $500 at the time, simply striving to keep going. Somehow, it still worked – oh, if only more people knew that they could travel “cheap-ass” too!
That’s how a complete social media novice like me started my first public account. Honestly, Cham Lung was just a random name I chose under the pressure of Instagram registration. It means “ellipses”, which basically reflects how uncertain I was at the time – not knowing what to fill in, much like how I didn’t know what my journey would unfold into.
It was then a learning-by-doing process: watching tons of Reels and TikTok videos, picking things up bit by bit, and incorporating them into my posts. I choose to talk a lot about the topics of travel, mental health, and advocacy just because that’s what I’ve lived through and have immersive experience with.
Somehow, I went viral. One of my posts about the motivation behind my travels reached almost a million views, and I gained over 10,000 followers in less than two months. People started recognising me more, and a few brands even reached out. But if you ask me, I’d say I couldn’t care less about that. What excited me most was simply having a space to share my stories and post videos of my struggles during travels, often with a bit of fun or trending music in the background. It became my coping mechanism through tough times in life. I guess that’s a very Gen Z thing, I don’t know :)))
3. How do you feel your background in advocacy and travel influences the way you approach your work in marketing and storytelling for Next Continent? Does advocacy and ecotourism go hand-in-hand or are they separate?
As someone who’s been actively involved in advocacy since I was 17 (I’m 21 now, so that’s not long ago haha), one thing I care deeply about is whether people’s “moral work” is tokenistic or truly meaningful, whether they put their hearts into it, or just use beautiful words and pretentious actions for their own interests.
That’s why I was really cautious and critical at first when joining Next Continent. I needed to read the company’s policies, visit the field, and listen to people’s stories before putting anything out to the public. I see truth and ethical storytelling as my fundamental responsibility.
I also incorporate a lot of my travel experiences into how I visualise Next Continent branding spirit, thinking about what travellers actually look for: a trusted expedition partner they can rely on (most of the time is in a foreign country!), someone who makes their journey fun and memorable – rather than a big name that over-promotes itself or prioritises profit over purpose.
Advocacy and ecotourism are like the front and back of a hand and this is exactly what I’m trying to push forward in my upcoming Marketing plans at Next Continent.
Since actions speak louder than words, I know we’ve been constantly striving to strengthen our ethical wildlife approach, so it benefits not only tourists but also local communities and the wildlife habitat itself. Yet at the same time, this can only be achieved collectively, via knowledge sharing, awareness raising, and advocacy efforts. Ethical wildlife watching is actually what I aim to infuse into every message, post, image, and representation of Next Continent.
4. As someone who identifies as they/them and advocates strongly for queer and gender equality, what does inclusivity mean to you in the world of ecotourism?
Inclusivity, to me, goes far beyond gender equality. It’s about creating space for everyone to experience the wild, regardless of gender, age, mobility, social class, or income. True inclusivity means recognising that each person experiences nature differently, and making conscious efforts to meet them where they are.
I still remember when Next Continent once had a deaf guest join our Son Tra Phieu Luu Ky, and we actually sent out chi Nga (my line manager, woohoo!) on her weekend to accompany the person because she’s fluent in sign language. You know, we could have just rejected the booking which was easier, but we didn’t! Everyone on that tour even spent time together learning the sign language for the phrase “I love Son Tra” as well. I’m so, so, so jealous watching the video they sent back.
Inclusivity at Next Continent also shows in who we are as a team: a women-owned company with more than 70% of our staff (including wildlife guides) being women. In a field often perceived as male-dominated, especially in the context of Vietnam, this proves that inclusivity isn’t a “Western concept” or a marketing buzzword – in this case, it’s about recognising people for their skills, dedication, and capacity, regardless of the boxes society tries to put them in!
And on a personal level, one thing I deeply appreciate about working here is how open-minded and respectful everyone is. They embrace my queerness without stereotypes of “boys like boys, girls like girls,” but just simply a human who loves another human, hehe.
5. You’re our (WONDERFUL!) marketing manager! As marketing is often about storytelling. What story do you hope Next Continent tells through its tours and community?
Thank you for the compliment. I’m flattered :)))
One social media series I’m currently working on is Behind the Scenes, where I showcase the stories behind each beautifully captured image, or the less-talked-about, unglamorous moments of being a tour guide: the exhaustion, confusion, and kaleidoscope of emotions from being in the field. It’s all part of what makes and connects us as humans eventually, you know.
The inspiration for this must come from field trips I joined along our guides to collect marketing footage. I realised that while everyone was sweating, chasing after lifers, and holding their breath to capture the perfect shot of the animals, no one was capturing their hard work! So, I started taking photos and videos of them, too: their joy when spotting something special, their focus, even their sarcastic smirks!
Another example was during a business trip to Nong Son, where we were scouting new sites. While I was literally thinking I was about to meet my ancestors after six hours of trekking through all kinds of terrain, the border guards walking beside me made it look like the easiest thing in the world – which, technically, is true because it is their daily job; but it’s definitely not easy at all! I was stunned, both by exhaustion and by struck admiration for those who are silently devoting themselves to protecting nature, wildlife, and the country.
To me, all of these moments are truly beautiful and invaluable. They deserve just as much spotlight as our eternal enthusiasm for the wild world!
6. If you could share one message with young people interested in combining activism, creativity, and travel, what would it be?
Start small, even stupid, if it helps. The path emerges as we go, not when we stand still.
(You can read my journey with Next Continent here.)
7. And finally, after all your time with Next Continent, what are you most proud of being part of?
I’m proud to be the branding birth-giver of what will soon become the best wildlife company in the world, a Next Continent brand people will instantly recognise by its signature black (#000000) and yellow (#FFFF00), Anton headings, Poppins subtext, and infused comic elements.
Well, I’m just kidding (mostly).
What I’m truly proud of isn’t just the visuals or the design choices, but being part of a team that genuinely works from the heart. People here don’t just log in and out (yes, you hear it right!). They pour their soul into every detail, even if that sometimes means five to seven rounds of feedback/revisions and me quietly crying inside (with love, of course).
It’s that shared sense of care and purpose that makes this place so special to me. Under the deep expertise and brilliant leadership of the Management Board, I have full confidence that Next Continent will soon become the world-class name it’s meant to be.
