Launching travel voucher campaigns was a highlight in Da Nang’s tourism stimulus program in 2024-2025. At a seminar on tourism development and promotion through public-private partnerships (PPP) on October 9, Nguyen Thi Hong Tham, Director of the Promotion Center (under the Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism), said that in a highly competitive tourism landscape, collaborating with online travel agencies (OTAs) is a strategic move for the city.

To boost domestic and international travel demand, especially during low seasons and to encourage spending at destinations, Da Nang issued 1,800 vouchers worth VND900 million in 2024. This is expected to increase to 6,000 vouchers worth over VND1.3 billion in 2025.

Thanks to this, the city welcomed 5.8 million international visitors in the first nine months of this year, a 27 percent increase over the same period last year.

According to Tham, 80 percent of tourists in Da Nang book services through OTAs, reflecting a strong digital trend. By partnering with Traveloka, the city engaged multiple stakeholders, from tour operators and accommodation providers to entertainment services. 

Use of OTA ecosystems has helped Da Nang promote its destinations and support businesses in digital transformation.

Inspired by Da Nang’s success, HCMC is also rolling out an e-voucher program valued at VND4.5 billion in 2025. The city recently signed a cooperation agreement with Traveloka to distribute 28,300 vouchers worth over VND10 billion.

A representative from the HCMC Department of Tourism said that within just one week of launching the program, 100 businesses joined the program. Although the campaign only began on September 9 and hasn’t yielded much data yet, HCMC hopes the program will benefit both businesses and tourists, contributing to its 2025 goals of 10 million foreign visitors and 50 million domestic trips.

Vo Ngoc Diep, Head of the Tourist Accommodation Management Division at the HCMC Department of Tourism, said that digital platforms stimulate travel demand but also enhance promotion and marketing efforts. Alongside e-commerce channels, the city is developing a digital information database to offer personalized travel experiences.

“Building data centers, digital maps, and integrating with OTA platforms like Booking, Traveloka and Agoda makes it easier for tourists to search for and book services. At the same time, digital communication campaigns are helping position HCMC as a distinct travel brand,” Diep said.

Hanoi has also joined forces with OTA platforms to enhance digital tourism promotion, leverage user behavior data to showcase the capital’s unique offerings, and elevate its global tourism profile.

Huynh Thi Mai Thy, Country Manager of Traveloka Vietnam, said this demonstrates the effectiveness of the PPP model in tourism. When local authorities partner with OTAs, marketing campaigns can be measured by real-time data and precisely targeted.

In the region, Nguyen Quy Phuong, Head of International Relations and Tourism Promotion at the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT), noted that Thailand, one of the top destinations in both Southeast Asia and the world, which previously relied on travel agencies, now also sees a surge in bookings via OTAs.

Fresh boost for tourism

Partnering with online travel platforms to promote destinations is an essential part of public-private cooperation in the tourism sector. This collaboration has helped expand market reach, attract more visitors, and significantly amplify Vietnam’s image worldwide.

Nguyen Thi Hoa Mai, Deputy Director of VNAT, said that attracting tourists is a key task for Vietnam. Beyond the role of state agencies, the collaboration of businesses, travel agencies, hotels, and agents is crucial. Annual programs, events, fairs, and tourism promotions show the importance of PPP, a global trend.

VNAT will strongly promote public-private partnerships, maximizing social resources for tourism development while fostering a platform ensuring benefits for the state, businesses, and tourists.

The agency will leverage OTAs as strategic channels for promotion, market analysis, and studying tourist behavior, enabling more precise marketing campaigns tailored to specific markets and new tourism trends, she said.

To enhance public-private partnership effectiveness, Nguyen Thi Hoa Mai stressed the need to address practical challenges.

The risk-benefit sharing mechanism between parties remains unreasonable, making private businesses hesitant to join long-term projects; social resources are not fully mobilized; and many partnerships lack clear tools, KPIs, or evaluations for results.

Additionally, most small and medium enterprises face capital, management, and information access challenges, limiting their participation in PPP chains.

Ngoc Ha