Given the fact that tourism is regarded as a key driver of Da Nang’s economic growth, it is high time for the city’s tourism development plans to be adjusted in the city in a bid to adapt to the changing situation around Covid-19.

Municipal Vice Chairman Chinh speaking the meeting

The statement was made by municipal People’s Committee Vice Chairman Le Trung Chinh at the Wednesday meeting with representatives from the city’s Department of Tourism to review a project on restructuring Da Nang’s tourism industry by 2025, with a vision towards to 2030.

Delivering his specific instructions at the meeting, Vice Chairman Chinh stressed the need for the Department of Tourism to develop a detailed plan to help the tourism industry rebound as promptly as possible amid the encouraging fact that the Covid-19 outbreak has been brought under control in the city.

From now until the end of this year, focus should be on attracting more domestic visitors to the city, conducting tourism marketing campaigns in localities nationwide, and promoting the city’s tourism products through digital marketing.

As giving his opinions about the aforementioned project, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Transport Bui Thanh Thuan pointed out to the concerning issue that the great potential of the city’s waterway tourism has yet to be fully tapped.  In reality, Da Nang boasts many rivers stretching from rural to urban areas, including the Cu De, Han and Co Co rivers, plus the Da Nang Bay. He, therefore, highlighted the importance of developing new attractive services on local inland waterways to attract more visitors to the city.

Meanwhile, Mr Le Duc Vien, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade, suggested that the city make even more efforts to boost its tourism development in a sustainable manner, with a focus on making the great contribution to the city’s budget, creating more jobs for locals and exploiting natural resources in line with the environmental protection regulations.

In addition, he underlined a must-do to develop more wharves specialised for welcoming cruise ships, as well as boost the development of ecotourism, and community-based and medical tourism.

Besides, efforts should be made to create closer links with other provinces and cities nationwide in order to promote tourism cooperation, especially between Thua Thien Hue - Da Nang - Quang Nam, Mr Vien added.

According to Assoc.Prof.Dr. Pham Trung Luong, former Deputy Director of the Institute for Tourism Development Research, the city has still faced a shortage of nighttime entertainment services, whilst there has been heavy dependence on such certain international tourist markets as China and South Korea.

“Therefore, it is necessary to develop comprehensive solutions associated with tourism development in each stage. Heed should be paid to conducting tourism promotion activities both at home and abroad, improving the quality of tourism products and services, ensuring a friendly and safe tourism environment, issuing even more preferential policies to appeal for investment into new tourism products, and training hi-quality human resources for the local hospitality sector” Mr Luong noted.

In the time to come, Da Nang will restructure its tourism source markets, tourism products, accommodation establishments, and human resources for hospitality sector. Also, tourists from Europe- North America will account for 20% by 2025 and 30% by 2030 of the total number of foreign tourist arrivals to the city.

By THU HA - Translated by M.D