After over 3 years of the implementation of Da Nang’s programmes for supporting the production of tourism souvenirs for sale, the city has seen an increasing number of this type of product. 

However, local tourism souvenirs have yet to attract a great deal of attention from visitors and local residents.  The main reason is thought to be that many local businesses are now facing a severe shortage of premises, and capital for making souvenirs and introducing them on a trial basis.

The Thanh Thien fine art sculpture-making company in Ngu Hanh Son District finds it difficult to introduce its products to visitors arriving in Da Nang because its premises are located far away from the inner-city.  Meanwhile, works in quartz by local craftsman Le Nguyen Vy are only being sold at the city’s Museum of Cham Sculpture.

A wooden model of the Hue T-junction overpass

Another business, the Dameco Automation Mechanics Company, specialises in making products including magnetic postcards made from mica, glass, brass, lacquer, pottery and porcelain, and statues made of copper and artificial stones.  The company now has an annual production capacity of 1 million units.  However, its products are only being displayed and sold at a coffee shop on Ly Tu Trong Street.

According to the municipal Department of Industry and Trade, many souvenir-making establishments have developed distribution and consumption channels of their own, but they are usually small-scale and spontaneous.  Meanwhile, local businesses have yet to fully tap their potential in the local tourism souvenir market due to a shortage of close links between them.

An impressive model of city’s Administration Centre

Nearly 2 years ago, the municipal People’s Committee decided to earmark the 3^rd floor of the Da Nang International Exhibition Fair Centre in Cam Le District for the introduction of locally-made tourism souvenirs.  However, this decision has yet to be implemented because the centre has yet to prove popular with visitors.

Meanwhile, many local businesses who are partaking in programmes for supporting the production of tourism souvenirs now have some shortcomings in their production and administration capacity.  They usually face some difficulties in completing their related dossier for enjoying the benefits from these programmes, which may affect the evaluation of their dossiers and the implementation of the city-approved support policies for these businesses.

According to local tourism experts, the city’s authorities should make plans for establishing specialised areas for displaying and selling tourism souvenirs along the city’s major streets as soon as possible to attract more attention from domestic and foreign visitors.