Representatives from government departments and agencies, and tourism businesses, across Da Nang attended a workshop in the city on Friday to present specific proposals and recommendations on local tourism development.

municipal People’s Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh affirmed the municipal government has been doing its utmost to boost the city’s tourism recovery and development

Addressing the event, municipal People’s Committee Chairman Le Trung Chinh affirmed the municipal government has been doing its utmost to boost the city’s tourism recovery and development. Therefore, the city wanted to collect constructive comments and opinions from relevant units and tourism businesses citywide in a bid to further promote the development of Da Nang tourism, he added.

Chairman Chinh informed that a variety of large-scale events and festivals will take place in the city in 2023. Therefore, he asked for support from the municipal Department of Tourism to provide advisory services to the People’s Committee in an effort to ensure the success of the upcoming events.

Particularly, the Department of Tourism was urged to soon work with the immigration unit at Da Nang International Airport to reduce time taken on entry procedures, issue new regulations, find new check-in points, and have guidance on environmental sanitation and security.

Heed will be on developing tourist cards and a tourist food map to serve tourists, ensuring the safety of beach-goers, and capturing information about destinations for separate guest markets.

Meanwhile, the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, the Department of Industry and Trade, the Department of Transport, and the Department of Police were directed to tackle illegal street vendors, the harassment of tourists and price gouging, and ensure food safety and hygiene.

The city leader asked the Department of Labour, War Invalids and Social Affairs to do its task of granting permits for foreign workers in a better way, the Department of Finance to issue policies to support enterprises in tax exemption and reduction, and the Department of Health to develop health tourism products.

Tourism associations and its member units were urged to promote their roles to help local tourism businesses effectively iron out their problems, as well as to create a healthy business and competitiveness environment for them.

Speaking at the workshop, municipal People's Committee Vice Chairwoman Ngo Thi Kim Yen said that the event was the good opportunity for leaders of the city and sectors to listen to problems facing city-based tourism businesses.

The most important tasks that can be done immediately are to promote marketing campaigns, make the most of existing tourism products, and develop new and unique ones in order to lure more visitors to the city, she emphasised.

Representatives from government departments and agencies, and tourism businesses, across Da Nang attended a workshop to give specific proposals and recommendations on local tourism development.

Director of the municipal Department of Tourism Truong Thi Hong Hanh proposed the city's leaders continue to pay attention to direct relevant units to promote the development of inland waterway tourism and the night economy in the field of tourism, and carry out dynamic tourism projects.

Representatives of the city’s Tourism Association and some city-based tourism businesses suggested the municipal government continue reducing land tax for businesses for another year, and issue guidance policies for foreign workers working in the city, especially high-quality ones. More unique tourism products, including pedestrian streets and light rivers, should be developed in the city, they added.

In addition, the participants made recommendations on issues of great concern such as a lack of human resources working in hospitality sector, investment in inland waterway wharfs, and nighttime entertainment activities at local beaches.

Recent report released by the municipal Department of Tourism shows that in the first two months of 2023, the number of guests served by accommodation establishments in the city was estimated at 742,500, 4.7 times higher than over the same period in 2022, reaching 90.4% of 2019.

Of which, an estimate of 195,300 were international visitors, 49 times higher than the same period last year, equaling 91.2% over the same period in 2019. Meanwhile, the remaining 547,100 were domestic tourists, up 3.5 times against last year, representing 90.1% over the same period in 2019.

Revenue from accommodation and catering services in the first two months of 2023 was estimated at VND 4,374 billion, more than 1.7 times higher than over the same period in 2022, an increase of 21% against 2019.

Reporting by THU HA - Translating by M.DUNG