Cruise ship Le Lapeurouse recently docked at the Tien Sa Port, bringing European and American guests back to Da Nang after more than 2 years of being affected by COVID-19. Along with promotion strategies, there are highly-encouraging signs that promise the strong recovery of Da Nang’s international source markets.

Da Nang is making great efforts to lure tourists from potential international source markets. International tourists are seen visiting the Marble Mountains special national-level relic site. Photo: THU HA

Cruise ship tourism sees bustling ambiance

Ms. Nguyen Thi Bao Phuong, the Managing Director of the Da Nang branch of Vivu Journeys Viet Nam JSC, said that, over the past time, despite being affected by COVID-19, the company have still worked online to maintain relationships with not only shipping lines but also partners that handle passengers travelling by air in many different countries.

Le Lapeurouse was the first cruise ship the company to have docked at the Da Nang Port after a long pause due to the pandemic. Following its arrival in the city on October 9, the ship is scheduled to dock at Da Nang Port on October 16 and 29.

The ship will stay in Da Nang from 6:00am till 11:00 pm, allowing its passengers to have almost a day to visit popular tourist attractions in Da Nang and its neighbour Quang Nam Province such as the Marble Mountains, Sun World Ba Na Hills, Hoi An and My Son Sanctuary.

According to Ms. Phuong, so as to attract cruise passengers, currently, immigration procedures for guests are also greatly facilitated and supported by relevant units. Up to now, the signal of cruise ship passengers has been positive, and as forecasted, it would be more thriving in 2023.

Mr. Nguyen Son Thuy, Director of Indochina Unique Tourist Co., Ltd acknowledged, currently, some of the international source markets in Northeast Asia for Da Nang such as South Korea have opened. The majority of visitors are still independent travelers and those making online bookings.

In Southeast Asia, there are currently two well-exploited tourist markets, namely Thailand and Malaysia. According to Mr. Thuy, given the current stable operation of flights connecting Da Nang and parts of these two Southeast Asian countries, the number of visitors from Southeast Asia will increase slightly in the remaining  months of this year and is expected to increase further in the subsequent ones.

According to Ms. Huynh Thi Huong Lan, the Deputy Director of Da Nang Tourism Promotion Centre, right from the moment it opened its doors to welcome international visitors, the Da Nang tourism industry has developed specific plans to welcome domestic and international visitors back. In the past 9 months of 2022, the number of visitors to the city has risen up. Many of Da Nang’s international source markets such as India, South Korea and Japan have been successfully promoted .

It’s time to restore international markets at the earliest

Chairman of the Da Nang Tourism Association Cao Tri Dung said that, by the end of this month, there will have been direct flights linking Da Nang with 4 Indian cities. This is a very potential market and make an addition of a new source of visitors for the city. The prospect of the Indian tourist market is very clear, in addition to the direct flights that will be put into service here, Da Nang have already welcomed Indian visitors via the existing flights to Ho Chi Minh City and Ha Noi.

In a bid to make preparations for welcoming the aforementioned markets, the Da Nang Hotels’ Association will launch a training course on Indian cuisine for staff from restaurants and hotels and Indian culture for service providers across the city. At the same time, appeals will be made for engagement by domestic and Indian investors in quickly developing more restaurants targeting Indian tourists.

Also in an attempt to lure more international visitors, in the past time, the city leaders and representatives from local agencies have made business trips to promote Da Nang tourism and create up connection with partners in potential international source markets. During a working session with the Da Nang delegation led by municipal People's Committee Vice Chairman Tran Phuoc Son in South Korea recently, Mr. Lee Woo Yeon, the General Manager The manager of the Product Management Department of Mode Tour Network Co., Ltd. said that, in recent times, Da Nang has been the most favourite destination for South Koreans.

The enterprise committed to continue accompanying and participating in Da Nang-hosted tourism promotion activities, and organising press trips to visit and survey the city’s tourism products in the year to come. It targets to recover 70% of South Korean visitors to Da Nang in 2023 like the same period in 2019.

The Mode Tour side is highly committed to continuing to participate in tourism promotion activities launced Da Nang city to Mode Tour's agents and product distribution channels in Korea as well as Mode's online channels. Tours; coordinated to organize Korean presstrip delegations to visit and survey the city in 2023. Mode Tour Company aims to restore 70% of South Korean tourists to Da Nang in 2023 as in the same period in 2019.

During the working programme in India, the Da Nang delegation joined discussions with worked with Indian event organisers on many aspects including how to encourage high-end Indian people to hold weddings in Da Nang.

Mr. Satish Ramnani, the Director of Veydaa Events Private Limited said that the company is working with Vietnamese partners to prepare for a wedding party at a resort in Da Nang in January 2023 for a Indian billionaire family with the attendance of about 450 guests.

Leaders of the Da Nang Department of Tourism had separate meetings with the Global Aviation Services Pty Ltd (GAS) to promote bilateral cooperation programmes on tourism promotion. GAS is promoting to organise another wedding party in Da Nang expected also in January 2023 for an Indian billionaire family.

Joining the Da Nang delegation during business trips to India, Singapore and South Korea at the end of September and early October, Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Tourism Tan Van Vuong assessed that, given the fact that many South Korean people now show their keen interest in Da Nang, the city is striving to  restore the number of visitors from this East Asian market like in 2019.

As for India, a potential source market for Da Nang, it is necessary to organise many tourism promotion activities to attract tourists. The opening of direct flights connecting Da Nang with Mumbai and New Delhi on October 18 and 19 respectively will bring a large number of Indian visitors to Da Nang in the coming time.

Reporting by THU HA- Translating by A.T