Addressing a meeting on Thursday at with a delegation of the National Assembly's Committee for Culture and Education on realising the policy of restoring and reopening tourism activities, Da Nang People's Committee Vice Chairman Tran Phuoc Son said that, the city together with businesses have, over the past time, made great efforts to bring tourism back on track, especially after the national government’s policy of reopening has created momentum for the city in restoring economic activities.

Da Nang People's Committee Vice Chairman Tran Phuoc addresses the meeting with a delegation of the National Assembly's Committee for Culture and Education on realising the policy of restoring and reopening tourism activities, April 21, 2022. Photo: THU HA

Up to now, about 800 tourism businesses across the city (nearly 50%) have reopened. It is forecasted that during the peak tourism season from June onwards, the number of businesses to reopen will be more.

Da Nang identifies tourism as one of its key economic sectors, which is reflected in its Gross Regional Domestic Product (GRDP) contribution and annual growth rate.

The city's tourism industry has actively connected with localities to publicise its images, promote the reopening of tourism activities with the cities in countries with which Da Nang has established the twin relationships.

The city will continue to make the debut of many new products, as well as refresh existing tourism products to avoid boredom facing visitors by actively building programmes and events to restore tourism activities, including major international ones.

Deputy Chairman of the Committee for Culture and Education Phan Viet Luong, the head of the visiting delegation, highly praised Da Nang for showing signs of good tourism recovery after two years of being affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In order to recover more strongly, it is high time for the city to enhance the quality of human resources, ensure the ultimate safety of tourists, lift product quality and upgrade existing products.

As reported, the complicated COVID-19 developments have greatly affected tourism, socio-economic activities in the city. However, the locality has issued and implemented documents guiding the implementation of support policies released by the national government for businesses and employees in a bid to prompt tourism to bounce back.

Thanks to the city’s great effort, upon the release of the national government's policy to completely open up tourism activities in a very short time, the city has organised many activities and events accounting attractive new products targeting potential visitors.

The number of guests served by accommodation establishments throughout the city in March 2022 reached more than 109,000 arrivals, an increase of 58% compared to the same period in 2021.

Revenue from accommodation and food services in March stood at over VND 1,084 billion, an increase of 8, 4% from the previous month.

At the meeting, the city leader proposed to the National Assembly to consider amending a number of shortcomings of the Law on Tourism related to the business of tourist accommodation establishments, completing the legal framework for entertainment services and water sports that are at risk of affecting the health of tourists.

Also, it is proposed that the national government to issue a Decree stipulating specific mechanisms and policies to support tourism to develop into a local spearhead economic sector.

Reporting by HA KHUE – Translating by A.THU