The citizens of Da Nang City have been asked to smile during the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) summit next month, the most imporant activity of the APEC Year 2017. 

A view of Son Tra Peninsula in Da Nang. — Photo courtesy Helicop tour

The central city has also allocated 64 resorts and hotels as accommodation for deputies, business people and journalists during the 2017 APEC Economic Leaders’ Summit from November 5-11.

Vice director of the city’s tourism department, Tran Chí Cuong, said at a press conference on Thursday that 68 restaurants and 14 shopping centres in the city had also been assigned to host APEC deputies.

Cuong said 30 training courses in hospitality, cuisine and conduct had been held for resorts, hotels and restaurants from early this year.

He said the department, in co-operation with Thua Thien-Hue and Quang Nam provinces, would host free tours for all APEC delegates to six destinations, including the UNESCO-recognised world heritage Hue Monument Complex; Ngu Hanh Son (Marble Mountains), Ba Na Mountain resort, Chăm Sculpture Museum, hot spring and night river tours in the Han River.

The department also opened three tourism promotion booths at APEC’s Media Centre for the summit week.

At the press conference, chairman of the city’s People’s Committee, Huynh Duc Tho, said the city would give days off to students at some schools and offices to ease traffic on November 10 and 11 – the opening and closing days of the event.

The International Media Centre at the summit will open on Saturday, while a rehearsal for the opening ceremony will be held on Sunday.

The media centre, which covers 1.3ha, will provide working space for nearly 3,000 journalists.

The APEC Summit, being held in Da Nang for the first time, will host 15,000 delegates, journalists, business people and CEOs from 21 member economies.

The city has launched the Smile of Da Nang campaign and Code of Conduct for tourism to raise awareness of APEC among local residents, civil servants and tourists from last month. — VNS