The resumption of some international routes, including the Bangkok (Thailand) - Da Nang route operated by Thai Vietjet Air, has opened up brighter expectations for the city's tourism industry in the exchange of visitor sources with Thailand.

Travel agencies of Thailand and Da Nang are gearing up cooperating and exchanging guests after the resumption of a number of international routes. The famtrip and presstrip delegation visit at Sun World Ba Na Hills tourist area in March 2022. Photo: NHAT HA

On the first international flight to Da Nang on March 27 after nearly 2 years of ‘hiatus’ due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the famtrip and presstrip group consisted of 50 members who were representatives from travel agents, hotels and media establishments and Thai bloggers took a city tour to learn about tourist attractions in Da Nang and Hoi An in Quang Nam Province. The trip aimed to promote cooperation and exchanges between the two markets.

The Thai delegation spent 4 days and 3 nights on experiencing Da Nang Citytour, and visiting the Sun World Ba Na Hills, the Linh Ung Pagoda, the Son Tra Peninsula, the Cham Sculpture Museum, APEC Statue Garden Park and the Marble Mountains Scenic Area, along with surveying a number of hotels and attractions in Hoi An, including the Bay Mau water coconut forest.

Travel blogger Chotika Thaisantisuk, who has more than 300,000 followers expressed: "Da Nang shows off many beautiful scenes and interesting attractions, especially the image of the Golden Bridge located at the Sun World Ba Na Hills tourist area. Many young Thai people wish to come to Da Nang and check-in at this highly inviting bridge. Therefore, after this trip, we will introduce beautiful images of Da Nang and people on our channel”.

Meanwhile, Mr. Thitiwach Suriyatanakij of Pro Booking Centre, which specialising in booking accommodation for tourists highly praised Da Nang for  possessing many advantages in tourism such as an abundant number of accommodation facilities, a variety of attractions and entertainment spots. This is convenient for tour operators of Thailand and Da Nang to build up tour programmes and products in the near future.

Director of Duy Nhat Indochina Tourism Co., Ltd. Nguyen Son Thuy said that the Thai famtrip and presstrip delegation came to Da Nang to re-survey routes, tourist attractions and accommodation facilities located in Da Nang and its neighbour Quang Nam. Through this press and travel delegation, Da Nang - Quang Nam tourism, Viet Nam as whole, will be significantly promoted in Thailand and the world at large about the post-COVID-19 reopening policy.

“I believe that, after this period, Thai tourists would visit Viet Nam more as well as Vietnamese tourists have the opportunity to travel to Thailand. Currently, Thai travel agencies are planning to sell tours to Da Nang and Central Viet Nam until the end of September 2022. Besides, next April, Air Asia will take a plan to resume flights to Central Viet Nam. When the restrictions of travel between the two countries are lifted, more Thai tourists will take trips to Da Nang”, said Mr Thuy.

It is known that, at the beginning of April 2022, Duy Nhat Indochina Tourism Co., Ltd. also welcomed a famtrip group of 20 representatives from travel agencies, along with a film crew including Thai celebrities and fashion models arriving in Da Nang. During their stay in Da Nang, the Thai guests made media products promoting tourism in Da Nang and Central Viet Nam at large.

On April 10, the company is slated to welcome a group of 30 purely Thai tourists on a Da Nang tour.

Currently, the company is also focusing on selling tours to the Thai market and hopes that more Vietnamese people will book tours to ‘the wonderful land of the Golden Pagodas’ in the coming time.

Representatives of Thai travel and media agencies make tourism surveys at a Da Nang hotel. Photo: NHAT HA

Deputy Director of the Department of Tourism Nguyen Xuan Binh said that Viet Nam officially opened tourism activities from March 15 and Da Nang has been ready to welcome international tourists, especially Thai guests. Hopefully, after this famtrip, the connection activities between the travel agencies of the two sides will be further enhanced so that the frequency of flights from Bangkok to Da Nang can be increased in the near future.

According to Vietjet Deputy General Director Nguyen Thi Thuy Binh, the Bangkok - Da Nang route is operated by Thai Vietjet Air with three round-trip flights a week on every Wednesday, Friday, and Sunday, with the flight time of around 1 hour and 40 minutes per leg. Further frequency can be increased later based on market demand.

Vietjet has always pioneered the connection between the two countries and is committed to participating in promoting the recovery of international tourism in the region. In addition to the Bangkok - Da Nang route, the airline is also restoring almost the entire international flight network from Viet Nam to throughout the Asia-Pacific region.

Reporting by NHAT HA- Translating by A.THU