What can you say about the recovery of Da Nang recently?

Da Nang’s tourism is witnessing a strong recovery with diverse sources of travelers, especially domestic ones. It has grown by 20-25 percent compared to 2019 and the figure shows its attractiveness and its capability of serving a lot of travelers.

There are many reasons behind the success, including thorough preparations of the city’s leaders, tourism department and the business circle for the reopening. Da Nang’s service network can satisfy demand in a quick and orderly way, with high quality and reasonable costs.

The tourism recovery coincides with the high tourism season in Da Nang, the most beautiful season when all guest centers direct their attention here. And we have been gathering strength to prepare for the recovery of foreign markets since March 15.

The other reason is that Da Nang carries out tourism promotion programs regularly. During the pandemic, we advertised tourism online and after the outbreak was controlled, we quickly promoted tourism in domestic and foreign markets.

The last reason is that the local authorities and business circle joined forces to organize big events and summer entertainment activities. Sun Group, for example, has been active in organizing entertainment events such as Sun Fest.

Which products do you think Da Nang should develop in the time to come? 

Da Nang is one of a few localities that possess many advantages to develop tourism. Based on these advantages, we have defined some key tourism products.

First, cultural and heritage tourism products. Second, MICE tourism. At present, Da Nang has the best ecosystem of services in the country to organize events. It is the destination that attracts businesses and diplomatic organizations to organize events. 

Third, urban tourism products. Da Nang is the central city of the central region and Central Highlands. Da Nang will be a transit point, the destination that attracts travelers to come to enjoy entertainment, shopping, and medical services, thus creating urban tourism like Dubai and Singapore. Da Nang has great potential and infrastructure suited to develop this way.

Fourth, ecotourism. Da Nang has Ba Na in the west, and Than Tai Mountain (God of Wealth) and agricultural tourism ecosystem. These have great potential for Da Nang to increase good experience for tourists in the post-Covid period.

Night tourism has been put forward for a long time, but it has not really become the strength of Da Nang. What do you think Da Nang needs to do to develop night tourism?

Night tourism proves to be a puzzle as Da Nang still is not a high-end tourism center of the region.

Businesses have recently paid higher attention to develop night tourism ecosystem. Ba Na Hills have products for night, Chau A (Asia) Park is hoped to become a night entertainment center. We also have night entertainment points such as An Thuong walking street. Of course, we need more investment from businesses to develop a sustainable night tourism ecosystem.  

Does Da Nang still lack something to become an international tourism center, as expected?

The potential and ability to become an international tourism center are clear. However, Da Nang still needs some more things to develop its tourism faster.

First, Da Nang is a sea tourism center, but it still doesn’t have products reaching out to the sea. Da Nang lacks products to compete with other destinations in Vietnam such as Khanh Hoa and Kien Giang, and points in the region such as Phuket in Thailand and Bali in Indonesia.

Second, domestic waterway tourism on the Co Co river valley needs to be developed. If it is completed, Co Co domestic waterway tourism will be a new tourism brand of Da Nang.

Third, Da Nang still lacks products for night tourism. Hoi An ancient town has ‘An tuong Hoi An’ (Hoi An Impression), while Da Nang still doesn’t have any show which is good enough for travelers to watch at night. There are also no big shopping centers.

Finally, Da Nang is positioned as an event and festival city, so it needs to organize more attractive events. An international fireworks festival is one such event.

Ngoc Ha