COVID-19 pandemic has changed the travel demand and tastes of tourists a lot, even once the international tourist market is recovered in the time ahead as hopefully. in fact, traveller preferences and behaviours have shifted toward the familiar, predictable, and trusted. It is very necessary for Da Nang hospitality sector to make a unique difference In an effort to tempt tourists back. 

A lot of Da Nang residents and tourists visiting the Bach Dang spring flower street in nice weather during Tet

2020 showed itself a very tough year for Da Nang. Not least among those setbacks due to the coronavirus resurgence and unfavourable weather conditions is the shock to the travel & tourism sector. At that time, the tourism industry had to compete with other emerging and neighbouring destinations in Viet Nam in the race to tempt tourists back. That is the reason why there was a deepening divide in the domestic tourist market.

Tempting visitors back to Da Nang is not ‘a piece of cake’. According to a representative of the Da Nang Travel Association, tourism businesses need to follow the motto ‘thinking differently begets behaving differently’ and create even more breakthroughs to attract visitors. Sometimes, just a small change in the way of doing business can create a huge ripple effect.

During the 2021 New Year break, for example, many Da Nang people and tourists got excited to explore the beauty of Da Nang, especially the stunning beauty of bridges spanning the Han River with free-of-charge evening sightseeing boats. These free boat tours on Han River offered locals and visitors unique views of Da Nang and helped them watch the dragon’s head breathe firing and squirting water. 

From January 1 to 28 April, tourists to Da Nang are totally eligible for joining the Danasea Tourism Joint Stock Company-launched ‘City tour’ programme for free to explore the most popular attractions in Da Nang. The programme is part of Da Nang’s efforts to tempt domestic tourists back, thereby driving post-pandemic tourism recovery in Da Nang in the new normal.

By joining the free city tours, tourists have the chance to admire the charm of such top attractions in Da Nang as Linh Ung Pagoda, Son Tra Peninsula, Rong (Dragon) Bridge, and the Marble Mountains Tourist Area. Booking in advance for the tour must be made before 5:00pm daily free pickups with departure from 7:30am to 8:30am the next day, via calls to 0899206999, 0931937111, 0867408779 and 0904953972.

Since the programme’s official launch, the company has welcomed and served about 500 travellers.

Also, from 1 January to 30 March, the Hai Van Cat International Travel Co., Ltd. also offers daily free-of-charge round-trip tickets for intra-bus services connecting the inner city with the Hoa Vang District-based Ba Na Hills Resort. For more information, including how to apply for the preferential tickets, please make calls to 0913140779.

Currently, some tourist sites in Da Nang tend to bring tourists to ecotourism experience. The Alang Nhu homestay, nestled in Gian Bi Village, Hoa Bac Commune, Hoa Vang District, has attracted large numbers of visitors who want to stay and immerse themselves in the beauty of the nature, and explore the culture of the Co Tu ethnic minority group.

Likewise, Hoa Bac Commune-located Yen Reatreat and Hoa Ninh Commune-based An Nhien Farmstay have proved their attractiveness to holidaymakers arriving in Da Nang over recent times.

According to Mr Le Thien Tu, Director of V.E.I tourism company, in parallel with the exploitation of beach leisure products and holiday resorts, Da Nang tourism industry can move towards agriculture-based and farmstay tourism which is any type of accommodation on a working farm.

Da Nang, in fact, boasts some unique areas such as time-honoured places of residences,   village communal houses in Tuy Loan or ecological zones in Hoa Bac and Hoa Ninh communes in Hoa Vang District, all of which will definitely become a travel magnet in the coming time.

Chairman of the Da Nang Tourism Association Cao Tri Dung acknowledged that COVID-19 has caused damage to the global tourism industry, and that the first priority to which tourism businesses must given is strive to maintain their operation to ‘ keep their heads above water’. However, the immediate goal is to anticipate and capture the new trends triggered by the pandemic.

In particular, tourists will pay more attention to the sustainable values that the destination's service business model can create such as products that are environmentally friendly, conserve the ecosystem and save natural resources and human labour.

At the same time, it is necessary to focus on ensuring a deeper travel experience for visitors with over a longer stay period, instead of just mulling over how to create more services stimulating tourists’ spending.

Through recent Da Nang-conducted online survey on domestic travellers, it can be clearly seen that, at present, safe tourism environment becomes the most important criterion for travellers’ destination options.

Once completely ensured, this invisible tourism product, in fact, may help Da Nang attract domestic tourists in the face of the global coronavirus crisis, and ensure that fears over another coronavirus insurgence will not discourage them to make Da Nang visits.

By THU HA – Translated by A.T