The outlook for Da Nang's crucial tourism sector is brightening after the city has returned to a new normality. Noticeably, Da Nang on Sunday welcomed the first tourists, all of whom hail from Ha Noi. They are enjoying their three-day and two-night tours exploring Da Nang from 4 to 6 October.

Da Nang on Sunday welcomed the first visitors after the city has returned to a new normality.

The encouraging news clearly demonstrated the city’s readiness and eagerness to welcome in domestic tourists’ comebacks. Da Nang government is rolling out effective plans to ensure the ultimate safety and comfortableness of tourists during their relaxing times in the city. 

In reality, many serviced accommodations still remain closed amid the fact that, from now until late this year, many domestic tourists may be reluctant to visit Da Nang due to their fears over the possibility of virus resurgence in the city, and still discouragingly, the September – December period is the city’s low season for domestic tourists.

Until there is a vaccine and the virus is eliminated completely in the country may the national tourism rebound to its full potential as it did during pre-pandemic periods, domestic experts warned. 

Recent forecasts by the Da Nang Tourism Department show that tourism could generate an estimated 10,788 billion VND to Da Nang’s economy in 2020, down by 65.1% against last year.

By late this year, the city is likely to have suffered about 26,000 billion VND worth of tourism revenue losses. Of this, 659 billion VND could be recorded in travel agencies, about 4,800 billion VND in serviced accommodation establishments, about 518 billion VND in tourist transport service providers, and the remainder from tourist attractions.

In an attempt to strengthen Da Nang’s position as a safe and friendly destination for travellers, municipal Tourism Department Director Truong Thi Hong Hanh underlined importance of ensuring good practice of necessary coronavirus precautionary measures to safeguard hospitality staff and visitors to be safe.

In particular, both of the staff and visitors at tourist attractions in Da Nang must undergo compulsory body temperature measurement, use face coverings, keep hands clean, and maintain a safe distance from others in order to protect themselves and others.

Impromptu inspection visits to travel and tourism service providers will be conducted to observe their compliance with the compulsory coronavirus prevention regulations during their operations.

The Ha Noi tourists are enjoying their three-day and two-night tour exploring Da Nang from 4 to 6 October

Joint collaborations are generated by the Da Nang authorities and tourism businesses to make the debut of another tourism stimulus campaign ‘the sooner, the better’ so as to lure more tourist comebacks. 

In particular, the Da Nang Tourism Promotion Centre will host the reception of famtrip delegations of domestically- renowned artists, Facebookers, Vloggers, bloggers and key opinion leaders (KOLs) who have fluent product knowledge and influence in the tourism industry for their deeper insight into the city’s tourism products.

In addition, more widespread social media campaigns will be organised in the time to come to convey meaningful messages through such hashtags as #Danangmissyou, #Danangisback, and #SeeyouinDanang.

In the coming time, it is also necessary for Da Nang to organise a wide range of attractive events to increase visitor numbers. In particular, actions should be taken to foster the city’s MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) tourism, which can bring in much higher revenue for the city than the other types of tourism because it attracts a large number of high-spending visitors.

The majority of MICE tour bookers are businesses who want to combine organising conferences or seminars with travelling.

Other effective solutions included the offering of inviting deals on Da Nang holiday packages to domestic travellers.

By THU HA – Translated by A.T