As a tourist-packed destination, in addition to creating a deep impression on visitors, it must refresh itself by developing attractive new products in a ceaseless manner. It is no denying that new tourism products are highly expected to attract even more holidaymakers and increase tourism revenue as well. The attractiveness of a destination, in fact, can be measured by how long visitors are willing to stay and if they make return trips and recommend it to others.

Since its debut last year, the spectacular Golden Bridge at Sun World Ba Na Hills resort has caught global attention, attracting a growing number of locals and visitors from both home and abroad.

In recent years, Da Nang’s tourism industry has changed remarkably, considerably accelerating the whole city’s impressive growth, creating tremendous changes to the urban face, developing other economic sectors, creating more jobs for locals and making the great contribution to the city’s budget.

This central Vietnamese tourism hub has emerged as an attractive new destination in Asia, boasting a variety of special tourism products and services. Notable amongst them are the Golden Bridge at the Sun World Ba Na Hills, the Nui Than Tai Hot Springs Park and the Helio Night Market.  In addition to its diversified culinary services, tourist boats, city tours by cyclo, high quality golf courses, the city has become a landing site for luxury hotel brands in recent years. 

However, tourism insiders underlined an urgent need for the city to develop more unique tourism products that attract longer visit and return trips.

According to Mr Doan Hai Dang, the Director of the city’s branch of Vietravel, the spectacular Golden Bridge at Sun World Ba Na Hills resort has caught global attention in recent times. Noticeably, it has been named the most favourite check-in destination in Viet Nam in 2018 at WeChoice Awards. Also, the picture of the ‘Giant Hand Structure on the Golden Bridge’ topped a list of 60 pictures chosen by Reuters in August 2018. The bridge was also included on a list of the top 100 World’s Greatest Places for 2018 by the US magazine Time.

However, more new products should be created as soon as possible. In reality, holidaymakers always desire to look for new destinations and they will only make return trips if their already-visited places boast really impressive new products.

Ms Truong Thi Hong Hanh, the Deputy Director of the municipal Tourism Department, said, in order to ensure the sustainable development of the local tourism, in the coming time, long-term solutions to develop new products will be taken into account, with the aim of increasing revenue from tourism services.

Local tourist attractions have managed to renew their products and services to lure more visitors. Tourists are seen enjoying relaxing moment at the Dinosaur Park inside the Nui Than Tai Hot Spring venue.

Accordingly, importance will be attached to promoting main product groups, namely luxury holiday and high-class beach-leisure packages; shopping services and MICE (Meetings-Incentives-Conferences-Exhibitions); tours to cultural and historical sites, traditional craft villages and countryside areas; and urban tourism (city break), which is a short holiday spent in a city in the coming time, associated with ‘ hub city’ model.

Of note, as long as Da Nang becomes a ‘hub city’ showing off modern infrastructure systems and convenient transportation via roads, railways, airways, waterways and seaports, the ‘city break’ would thrive.

Over recent years, this tourism model has proved greatly successful in Hong Kong Singapore, Dubai (UAE) and other countries and territories worldwide.

The ‘city break’ model, which has already been added to the national tourism product development strategies by 2025, is expected to encourage domestic and foreign visitors to extend their stay periods in Da Nang here, return later, and recommend it to others, and increase the revenue from tourism as well.

Furthermore, a special will be paid to diversifying support products, including spiritual, cultural-culinary and medical tourism services, marine sports and leisure travel.

Also, the position of Da Nang as a gateway to the easy-to-reach UNESCO-recognised world heritage sites of Hue Citadel in Thua Thien Hue Province, and Hoi An and My Son Sanctuary in Quang Nam Province and its amazing landscapes with its beautiful mountains, river and beaches will be fully tapped for tourism.

New tourism products capable of attracting more visitors should be created in the coming time. Included are the turning of the Son Tra Peninsula into a national ecological park, the development of the Da Nang Bay into an ideal venue for sea-oriented activities and beach sports and the opening of tours to the Van Village, Ngoc (Ruby) Island and other nearby venues.

Last, but not least, the city will see the opening of large-scale arts shows, shopping areas in the inner city, large commercial centres, duty-free shops, full time walking streets, night markets and amusement parks around resorts and on coastal routes.