Recent years have seen an increasing number of cruise ship passengers arriving in Da Nang.  For example, the city received a total of 3,200 passengers from 3 cruise ships on tours arranged by the Saigontourist and Viet Nam-based Destination-Asia tourism companies over the Tet Festival alone.

Thanks to the special tours offered by many local travel agents, cruise passengers seem to enjoy their stay in our city, and hopefully will return at a later date or recommend that their friends should visit.

A representative from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism presenting flowers to the first cruise ship passengers to set foot in the city in the new year.

Mr Huynh Minh Hoang from the Cruise Ship Passenger Management Centre at the city’s branch of the Saigontourist remarked that the majority of cruise passengers arriving at the Tien Sa Port come from China and Europe.  Each cruise ship usually carries between 1,000 and 1,500 passengers, but their average spending at local supermarkets is only around 9.3 USD per person.

Mr Hoang added that Chinese cruise passengers usually enjoy traditional Vietnamese musical performances at the Nguyen Hien Dinh Tuong Theatre, in addition to tours around the city, to Hoi An City, and to My Son Sanctuary.  Meanwhile, those from the USA and Europe usually prefer to book a city tour by cyclo, visit the Da Nang Museum of Cham Sculpture and the Marble Mountains, and take a bicycle tour to the Tra Que Vegetable Village in Hoi An City.

Mr Le Tat Thuong from the city’s branch of Destination-Asia said that his unit has provided cruise passengers from the USA and Europe with tours to the Linh Ung Pagoda and the Phong Nam Village in Hoa Vang District.  During their stay in that village, visitors showed interest in visiting the Phong Le Village Communal House and some Vietnamese ancient traditional houses, as well as experiencing the simple and rustic trading atmosphere at local rural markets.