In recent days, Da Nang has seen many hotels located on coastal streets reopening their doors along with transportation and food services gradually becoming bustling as tourists are returning to the coastal city. Da Nang’s tourism sector is showing signs of recovery following the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Tourists are gradually returning to Da Nang. IN PHOTO: A MICE event took place in Da Nang in December 2021. Photo: SONG KHUE

Hotels turning on the lights again

Only steps away from the beach, hotels located on coastal Hoang Sa - Vo Nguyen Giap - Truong Sa route are very attractive to both domestic and foreign tourists. Such hotels as Muong Thanh Luxury Danang located Vo Nguyen Giap in Ngu Hanh Son District, Monarque, and Four Points by Sheraton Danang in Son Tra District have got even more stacked over recent days.

The return of tourists gives Da Nang hope of a quick recovery for its tourism industry, bringing the joy to tourism workers. Coastal hotels now turn on the lights again instead of dark and gloomy scenes in the past days. Da Nang’s tourism workers who were laid off as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic have started to return to work.

Food stores and tourism businesses across Da Nang are preparing themselves for the return of international tourists after Viet Nam’s national government has decided to reopen its borders to international visitors from March 15.

Mr. Amir Mohamad, an Indian national, residing in My An Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District is an example. He is cleaning his food shop to prepare for reopening after a prolonged period of closure due to COVID-19. Like other food and drink service providers in An Thuong tourist streets, Mr. Amir Mohamad is excited for the long-awaited return of international guests. These food and drink service providers are recruiting their staff in order to get ready to welcome foreign guests back.

Many new tourism products are very attractive to tourists after they return to Da Nang. IN PHOTOS: Tourists are having fun and taking pictures of the Pham Van Dong Beach in Son Tra District. Photo: SONG KHUE

More tourism products created

The Da Nang government recently announced investment plans in 2022 for the An Thuong Tourist Streets complex located in My An Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District in a bid create new places and venues for the daytime and evening entertainment and shopping for Da Nang citizens and tourists. The focus is on upgrading tourist routes An Thuong 1 and An Thuong 4 at a total cost of VND 9.87 billion funded by the municipal budget and refurbishing other internal streets within the complex, including An Thuong 2, An Thuong 3, Tran Bach Dang, Le Quang Dao, Hoang Ke Viem and Ngo Thi Sy. The An Thuong Tourist Streets complex are expected to be completed before April 30, 2022.

Besides, night-time leisure activities along the My An Beach, connected to the bustling An Thuong Tourist Quarter, are set to open to the public before March 15, 2022. This will support and help maintain Da Nang’s status as a vibrant and exciting place to live, work and visit. A vibrant night-time economy can encourage tourism, boost the local economy and contribute to shaping places where people want to visit.

Moreover, the CT15 inland wharf and inland waterway routes in the Son Tra Peninsula are scheduled to be put into use in April 2022. The CT15 Inland Wharf has been upgraded and renovated by the Management Board of the Son Tra Peninsula and Da Nang Tourism Beaches at a cost of more than VND2.4 billion.

Sun World Ba Na Hills Resort is scheduled to reopen on March 18 after nearly a year COVID-19 closure.

Starting from March 18, the resort will welcome visitors back on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays with the return of exciting street mini shows, promising surprises for visitors. Many new items in this resort are under construction. Ba Na Castle and Carnival route are expected to be completed and open to the public on April 30, 2022. The return of Sun World Ba Na Hills Resort which has been named 'Viet Nam's Leading Theme Park 2019' at the World Travel Awards (WTA) Asia & Oceania gives a positive signal to Da Nang to resume full tourism activities in the context of safe, flexible adaptation and effective control of the COVID-19 pandemic, associated with the gradual social-economic recovery.

The Da Nang government continues taking action to retrieve MICE tourism by issuing incentive policies for MICE travelers in a bid to increase tourist arrivals in the city.

Mrs Nguyen Thi Hoai An, the Director of the Da Nang Tourism Promotion Centre, said that MICE tourism policy initiated by ​​Da Nang in 2021 aims to show gratitude and hospitality to the city’s partners and tourists. The outlook for Da Nang’s tourism growth in 2002 is very positive. Therefore, the city continues to offer support policies for MICE delegations with great incentives for the first 100 MICE delegations to Da Nang from February 21 until late December 2022.

Reporting by SONG KHUE – translating by H.L