Da Nang is seeing a significant decrease in the number of tourist arrivals during the rainy season compared with the summer, which leads to a sharp drop in the number of shoppers locally.

One of the most popular shopping venues in the inner city for both domestic and foreign tourists is the Han market.  The market is seeing a dramatic decline in the number of shoppers at those stalls which sell local dried seafood, souvenirs and specialities from the central region.

Some stalls in the Han Market are experiencing declining sales

The owner of the Yen Nho stall in the market, which specialises in dried seafood and local specialities, Ms Ngo Thi Yen, said that during the tourism peak season her stall was always crowded with domestic and foreign shoppers.  Now, there are only between 10 and 20 shoppers on average per day.

Like local traditional markets, some of the city’s central region speciality supermarkets are also facing a slump in sales.  The Thien Phu speciality supermarket is a typical example.  The supermarket’s owner, Mr Nguyen Nhon Phu, said that his sales in the rainy season were between 70% and 80% down on the peak. 

On the central region’s heritage route, which includes Hue, Da Nang and Hoi An, the Mekong rest-stop just south of the Hai Van Pass usually welcomes thousands of domestic and foreign visitors every day.  There has, however, been a 50% decline in visitor arrivals during the tourism low season.