Numerous large-scale cultural and sporting events will be held in Da Nang during this year, including the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF) and the APEC Economic Leaders’ Week (AELW).  These events will give Da Nang a golden opportunity to advertise its beautiful images to international friends. 

DIFF 2017 is a good opportunity for Da Nang to advertise its image to international friends

Therefore many local travel agencies, and accommodation and transport service providers, are busy making preparations for these important events.

With around one month to go to the start of DIFF, preparatory work for the many cultural activities on the sidelines of this international event is progressing well.  The viewing stands, offering a total of 21,000 ticketed seats, are being set up along the eastern bank of the Han River, whilst the construction of the main stage floating on the river is now also underway.

Some of the city’s travel agencies, such as Viet Nam Tourism Joint Stock Co (Vitours), Vietravel, Ben Thanh Tourist and Saigontourist, have prepared new tours for visitors to the city.

Vietravel, for example, is launching a 4-day tour around the city which includes an overnight stay at a 4-star hotel at the Ba Na Hills Resort.  DIFF tickets are on sale to people who book the company’s tours.

In order to prepare well for AELW, many training courses on international communication skills have been organised for leaders of local departments and agencies.  In addition, a contest to design souvenirs to be offered as gifts to the participants of the AELW has been launched in the city. 

The municipal Department of Tourism is making every effort to produce videos introducing the city’s tourism sector in order to show them at official seminars and conferences within the framework of AELW.

The Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Tourism, Ms Truong Thi Hong Hanh, remarked that the city now has about 575 hotels offering a combined total of 21,324 rooms. 

Some new hotels will also come into use over the next few months to satisfy the high demand for accommodation during AELW.  Included are the Hilton Da Nang, the Diamond Tower, the JW Marriot Hotel, and the Alphanam Luxury Danang hotel-apartment-commercial complex.

Ms Hanh happily reported that attractive new tourism products will be offered to both locals and visitors, including the Son Tra Sunset Tour, offering a breathtaking sunset panorama and a bird’s eye view over the Son Tra Peninsula and a corner of the city from 500m above sea level, a jeep tour around the peninsula, and a city tour either by jeep or tourist coach. 

The General Manager of the One Opera Danang Hotel, Ms Ho Nguyen Phuong Chi, said that her hotel has organised numerous training courses to improve the professional skills of its staff.  In addition, the hotel is now offering internship opportunities for students from local universities and colleges.

The Deputy General Director of the Furama Resort Danang, Mr Nguyen Duc Quynh, suggested that, in addition to promoting local infrastructure development, the local relevant agencies should enhance the quality of training programmes for employees of local travel agencies, restaurants and hotels to develop the local hospitality sector in a sustainable manner.