VT gives Cardiff family holiday of a lifetime

A holiday to Malaysia turned into a trip of a lifetime for a family of Cardiff City fans when they were invited to spend the day snorkelling with the Bluebirds’ billionaire owner.

In an extraordinary display of generosity, Vincent Tan then upgraded the family-of-four to the presidential suite at the luxury resort he owns on Tioman island.

Sian Smith and Geoff Dixon and their sons Aneurin, 10, and Ioan, six, were staying at the four-star Berjaya Tioman Resort when they were invited to meet the hugely successful businessman on Sunday.

The family, from Whitchurch in Cardiff, had flown to Singapore for the summer holidays before travelling to Tioman, where the 1958 classic South Pacific was filmed.

Surrounded by clear blue water and miles of palm tree-lined beaches, Sian said they were oblivious to the fact Berjaya Hotels and Resorts was owned by Mr Tan when they booked.

Sian, 38, said: “The boys were wearing their Cardiff City kits at check-in and my son asked if they had any more football competitions at the hotel which we’d read about on Facebook.

“That was it, but then on Friday night we had a letter delivered to our room asking us to contact reception.

“The receptionist said Vincent Tan was coming at the weekend and would we like to meet him.”

The family were asked on Sunday if they would like to go snorkelling with Mr Tan, who it’s believed had returned home after the death of his nephew in a car crash, and his 21-year-old son.

“We got picked up in a minibus and were taken to his villa just a little way away in the hills. There was a cable car or you could take the 200 steps,” Sian said yesterday.

“His bodyguards were there and we took some pictures. Vincent Tan came out already in his wet suit. He was with his son and made a big fuss of the boys.

“He was really nice. We went out on a boat and he had two bodyguards with him and had told one of them to look after the boys. One guy had a lifesaving device and kept following my youngest son around in the water – he wants his own bodyguard now.”

Sian said Mr Tan was “really relaxed” and teased his son for wearing a football kit which wasn’t Cardiff City’s, but she said the businessman didn’t give much away about the club itself.

Geoff, 45, asked Mr Tan about any potential signings for the club but was only told they were looking and that everyone cost “between £8m and £10m”.

“He seemed very family-orientated and wanted us to see a reef shark. He wanted us to free dive and was teaching my son how to do it,” Sian said.

“He was saying ‘you won’t find this amount of fish anywhere else’. They came all around you and you could tell how much he was enjoying it.”

The family spent about an hour in the water and dined on Malaysian coffee and cuisine onboard before returning to the resort.

Sian said when Mr Tan left to go to China that afternoon, they discovered to their delight that he had upgraded them to one of the presidential suites.

Sian, who works as a literacy co-ordinator for Cardiff council, said: “He seemed a real family man and very proud to share how beautiful his country is.

“My sons are still in a state of shocked delight at the whole event.”

Aneurin and Ioan attend three or four Cardiff City games a season, sometimes with their grandfather who is a season ticket holder.

Teacher Geoff, who is from Middlesbrough and admits that City is his second team, said the boys knew who Mr Tan was and how important he is in Malaysia and to Cardiff.

He said: “It was surreal but very pleasant. He has a nice relationship with his son. It was a good thing to do and it gives the kids some bragging rights when they get back to school.”

The couple had booked the days in Malaysia as part of a big trip to New Zealand.

Sian and Geoff worked in New Zealand for two years, got married there and left just after Aneurin was born there 10 years ago.

Sian said they have always wanted to go back and thought this was a good time to return and celebrate their 10-year wedding anniversary in the process.

They are flying back to Singapore on Tuesday for one night before going out to New Zealand for the rest of their holiday.

No doubt the haters and delusional will think this is some sort of PR stunt, no way, a lovely gesture to a family of fans.

We are very lucky to have such a Chairman.

We are very lucky to have such a Chairman.

Rebrand aside, the man can do no wrong

im blue with envy

However he wasnt allready in his wetsuit he was wearing his trousers up to his shoulders.

All jokes aside well done tan

Lifes about giving.....well done VT

Fair play he is a top bloke, the fans should give him a break.

No doubt the haters and delusional will think this is some sort of PR stunt, no way, a lovely gesture to a family of fans.

PR stunt is was

Proof, being honest he done a good thing for a once in a lifetime hols and i hope the family had a good time

You do not have the required permissions to view the files attached to this post.

That's very kind of Vincent Tan.

If this isn't a PR stunt, How did the press find out about this so quickly?

What a very generous thing to do.

PR stunt or not I wouldn't turn my nose up at it

One thing confuses me though is that on the back page of the echo the kids are wearing City tops but in the OP Tan was ribbing the boys for wearing football tops other than City's

We are very lucky to have such a Chairman.

Rebrand aside, the man can do no wrong

Two brief statements VERY well made

PR stunt or not I wouldn't turn my nose up at it

One thing confuses me though is that on the back page of the echo the kids are wearing City tops but in the OP Tan was ribbing the boys for wearing football tops other than City's

Quote: "Sian said Mr Tan was “really relaxed” and teased his son for wearing a football kit" (Unquote)

Suggests he wasn't talking about the Cardiff boys but rather about his (VT's) own son; although it is also worth noting that it said they had 'City' shirts on when they arrived on Day 1

Hope that clears it up

What a very generous thing to do.

Genorisity is relative to the sacrifice being made, so in this case VT has done something equivilant to a thrifty tramp giving a begger 5 pence. would you applaud that?

I have no doubt that this is some sort of PR Stunt, that doesn't make me a "hater" or "delusional" Gavin.

What a very generous thing to do.

Genorisity is relative to the sacrifice being made, so in this case VT has done something equivilant to a thrifty tramp giving a begger 5 pence. would you applaud that?

What a crap statement! Ask the family involved? tan didn't have to do SFA except it for what it was and stop being a bitter plonker! Because that's what you sound like.

I think we need a proper post-mortem on this, how this reached the press? how long did it take? Does this accidental holiday maker have any tenuous links with the Tan's empire. All legitamate questions any sane man would ask himself before praiising the great dictator. I'll leave it to TLG because i'm knackered and the Echo aren't up to it. Over to the the Sugar Monster with his 6 inch quil

I think we need a proper post-mortem on this, how this reached the press? how long did it take? Does this accidental holiday maker have any tenuous links with the Tan's empire. All legitamate questions any sane man would ask himself before praiising the great dictator. I'll leave it to TLG because i'm knackered and the Echo aren't up to it. Over to the the Sugar Monster with his 6 inch quil

After reading this you are a bitter plonker! Ffs just because it wasn't you benefiting from it.

What a very generous thing to do.

Genorisity is relative to the sacrifice being made, so in this case VT has done something equivilant to a thrifty tramp giving a begger 5 pence. would you applaud that?

What a crap statement! Ask the family involved? tan didn't have to do SFA except it for what it was and stop being a bitter plonker! Because that's what you sound like.

You don't know what it was Allen, but here's a lesson in life, things aren't always what they initially seem in life. How mad a philosophy is that? Mad eh? check it out

How did the press get this story?

In what time period?(was it unaturally speedy)

Does this holiday maker have any tenuous links with Tan's empire? If you can't answer any of these then i fully expect you to retract the plonker slur on my good name.

What a very generous thing to do.

Genorisity is relative to the sacrifice being made, so in this case VT has done something equivilant to a thrifty tramp giving a begger 5 pence. would you applaud that?

What a crap statement! Ask the family involved? tan didn't have to do SFA except it for what it was and stop being a bitter plonker! Because that's what you sound like.

You don't know what it was Allen, but here's a lesson in life, things aren't always what they initially seem in life. How mad a philosophy is that? Mad eh? check it out

How did the press get this story?

In what time period?(was it unaturally speedy)

Does this holiday maker have any tenuous links with Tan's empire? If you can't answer any of these then i fully expect you to retract the plonker slur on my good name.

My opinion - your deluded

What a very generous thing to do.

Genorisity is relative to the sacrifice being made, so in this case VT has done something equivilant to a thrifty tramp giving a begger 5 pence. would you applaud that?

What a crap statement! Ask the family involved? tan didn't have to do SFA except it for what it was and stop being a bitter plonker! Because that's what you sound like.

You don't know what it was Allen, but here's a lesson in life, things aren't always what they initially seem in life. How mad a philosophy is that? Mad eh? check it out

How did the press get this story?

In what time period?(was it unaturally speedy)

Does this holiday maker have any tenuous links with Tan's empire? If you can't answer any of these then i fully expect you to retract the plonker slur on my good name.

My opinion - your deluded

Why Gavin?

What a very generous thing tothat question

Genorisity is relative to the sacrifice being made, so in this case VT has done something equivilant to a thrifty tramp giving a begger 5 pence. would you applaud that?

What a crap statement! Ask the family involved? tan didn't have to do SFA except it for what it was and stop being a bitter plonker! Because that's what you sound like.

You don't know what it was Allen, but here's a lesson in life, things aren't always what they initially seem in life. How mad a philosophy is that? Mad eh? check it out

How did the press get this story?

In what time period?(was it unaturally speedy)

Does this holiday maker have any tenuous links with Tan's empire? If you can't answer any of these then i fully expect you to retract the plonker slur on my good name.

Did he do it for the publicity? Have you asked family? Answer that ? don't tell me you asked tan that question! answer is you don't no, just because its in echo doesn't mean its a publicity stunt does it?

What a very generous thing tothat question

Genorisity is relative to the sacrifice being made, so in this case VT has done something equivilant to a thrifty tramp giving a begger 5 pence. would you applaud that?

What a crap statement! Ask the family involved? tan didn't have to do SFA except it for what it was and stop being a bitter plonker! Because that's what you sound like.

You don't know what it was Allen, but here's a lesson in life, things aren't always what they initially seem in life. How mad a philosophy is that? Mad eh? check it out

How did the press get this story?

In what time period?(was it unaturally speedy)

Does this holiday maker have any tenuous links with Tan's empire? If you can't answer any of these then i fully expect you to retract the plonker slur on my good name.

Did he do it for the publicity? Have you asked family? Answer that ? don't tell me you asked tan that question! answer is you don't no, just because its in echo doesn't mean its a publicity stunt does it?

So no won't retract because you are so anti tan pointless arguing the toss with you, as I'm sure you will find another load questions for me to answer, while not answering any of mine off to beach so have nice day

People always look for a negative in a story, this is just a family sharing there experience with others.

Well done Mr Tan, Top Bloke

Those who criticise this are just jealous wankers

When you have answered those perinent questions, only then can you attest to having engaged in a sensible piece of critical thinking. Until then you're not doing yourself justice Allan.

In Tan's very public opinion he doesn't need a quick PR stunt, he says he already has 95% of fans onboard, and has written off the other 5% as ungrateful.

Now im not saying thats right or wrong, im just saying VT isn't the kind of man who wants to please everyone.

In this story he has probably embraced the fact that he has seen some city shirts in his native country, which is exactly what he was after, and used his vast wealth to reward them.

There's no conspiracy here lads

The truth of the matter, is that VT can do nothing right in some people's minds and will never give him any credit, as proven in this thread about the same story:-

viewtopic.php?f=2&t=118704

Do some people really think that VT didn't believe that some people would see this as a publicity stunt, because I'm shocked if that is the case, but in my very humble opinion, VT went ahead and did this for the family, in spite of realising that some people would label it as such!

Here's the link to the Walesonline story for anybody who wants to see the original article or pics from the family holidaying with VT:-

http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/wales ... an-5381340