According to the latest figures released by the Da Nang Department of Tourism, the city welcomed a total of around 158,000 visitors from both home and abroad during the newly-concluded 3-day National Day holiday lasting from 1 - 3 September, up 10% compared with the same period last year.

The Nui Than Tai Hot Spring Park was amongst the best choices for visitors over the National Day holiday break

Of this figure, 40,000 of them were foreigners, whilst the remainder were domestic visitors.

The hike in the tourist arrivals to the city over the holiday break was mainly attributed to the favourable weather condition and many new inviting tourist products offering abundant choices to visitors.

Currently, despite the 3-day holiday break coming to an end, popular attractions, along with shopping and cuisine areas across the city are still attracting a large number of domestic and foreign tourists.

During the period, highs soared up to 38 degree Celsius on the average temperatures in the daytime across the city. Therefore, many locals and visitors escaped to the refreshingly cool atmosphere at beaches and such popular tourist attractions as the Nui Than Tai Hot Spring Park, the Sun World Ba Na Hills resort, and the Suoi Hoa (Spring Flower), Suoi Luong and Ngam Doi eco-tourism sites.

In particular, a large number of locals and visitors took leisurely strolls to enjoy the fresh air there, or posed for souvenir photos along sections of riverside tourist-packed Tran Hung Dao on the eastern bank of the Han River.

Visitor Tran Ngoc Hoi from Nghe An Province eagerly said “This is the first time my family has come to Da Nang. Everything here was indeed interesting. Seafood is fresh and delicious, and hotel room rates are considerably reasonable. In general, my family is quite satisfied with such a fascinating trip to the city”.

Visitors experiencing exciting moments at the Sun World Ba Na Hills resort

As for accommodation services, the average room occupancy rates in 4 and 5-star hotels reached around 65%.

Most notably, the number of foreigners staying at these hotels made up 70% of the total, and mainly from South Korea, China, Japan, Hong Kong, and European countries. Meanwhile, the majority of domestic visitors are from big cities of Ha Noi and Ho Chi Minh City.

It was reported that the average room occupancy rate of over 70% was reported at such 4 and 5-star hotels as Vanda (90%), Crowne Plaza (88%), Fusion Maia (88%), Fusion Suite (80%), Naman Retreat (74%), À La Carte Danang Beach (77%), and Avatar (80%).

The average room occupancy rate in 3-star hotels was 55%, in 1 and 2-star ones around 40%, and tourist villas and condotels about 60 %.

In particular, over the holiday break, the city saw a significant rise in the number of domestic and foreign tourists on independent tours.

Notably, South Korean, one of the biggest contingents of foreign tourists to Viet Nam, is heavily favouring Da Nang as an ideal summer destination.

Ticket Monster Inc., one of South Korea’s largest travel booking sites, has named the central coastal city amongst top 10 places of choice by South Korean families and couples this summer.

In his remarks, Omega Tour company Director Nguyen Ngoc Anh said, in comparison with other destinations in Viet Nam, and in Asia as a whole, direct flight routes connecting South Korean localities with Da Nang are shorter. Moreover, the seaside city boasts beautiful beaches, many attractions and much cheaper tour prices. These are the reasons why so South Korean businesses, including travel agencies and airlines, have focused on developing tours and routes to Da Nang.

It is no denying that the upward trend in the number of independent tourists is now putting pressure on tour operators as they have to take the initiative to promote their marketing activities, and to renew their tourism products and enhance their service quality.

Currently, many big travel agencies in the city such as Vietravel, Vitour, Ben Thanh Tourist and Omega Tour are developing incentive strategies to attract even more tour bookers.

In addition, importance is being attached to luring MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) tourists, large delegations from domestic and foreign agencies and organisations, and especially senior tourists, mainly from South Korea and Japan), and developing new tourism products to satisfy the travel demands of independent visitors.