In early 2024, Da Nang continuously welcomed many large ships carrying tourists through the Tien Sa Port. This is a positive signal that the cruise ship tourist market is improving, promising to contribute to the recovery and development of tourism in Da Nang.

Tourists arriving in Da Nang through the Tien Sa Port, January 2, 2024. Photo: THU HA

On January 2, Da Nang the Westerdam cruise ship, owned by the Holland America Line, operated by Destination Asia Travel Co., Ltd., brought 2,000 passengers and 781 crew members mainly from the Netherlands and other countries such as the UK, France, Italy, Denmark, Hungary, Canada, America, South Korea, Japan and Australia.

Next, on January 4, the cruise ship AIDabella, operated by Pacific Legend Tourism and Services Co., Ltd., carried 2,000 German guests, dock at the Tien Sa Port.

Recently, on January 11, the Chinese cruise ship Viking Cruise (Zhao Shang Yi Dun), operated by Destination Asia Co., Ltd., brought more than 700 tourists to Da Nang through the Tien Sa Port.

Most of the ships often arrived port from 8:00 a.m. and leave at 7:00 p.m. the same day, so visitors had about 10 hours to visit and experience the tourist areas and attractions in Da Nang such as the Marble Mountains Special National Relic Site, Linh Ung Pagoda in Son Tra District, the Museum of Cham Sculpture, the Han Market, commercial centres, along with Hoi An ancient town in Quang Nam Province.

According to records, in addition to some tourists taking pre-booked tours, others freely came to the city for independent travel experience. Ms. Michelle Anne, a Mexican national, said she had heard a lot about Da Nang, so taking advantage of a day here, she planned to go shopping at the Han Market, visit the Museum of Cham Sculpture, the Dragon Bridge and enjoy delicious local food.

Director of V.E.I Tourism Co., Ltd. Le Thien Tu assessed that each ship arriving at the port usually has a very large number of passengers with many nationalities, so they often have different needs. Da Nang’s tourism resources are quite diverse and rich, so tourist operators often build about 10 tours, routes and products for customers to choose upon getting off cruise ships.

The number of visitors choosing to visit the city in the self-guided way is a huge opportunity for service businesses across the city because then visitors will choose to go shopping, entertainment or sightseeing. 

The tourists have time from half a day to a day to visit and experience, so many guests choose to visit famous and popular places. But there are also many customers, especially those from the European market, who often like to experience products associated with local culture and traditions.

According to representatives of some units specialising in exploiting cruise passengers, Da Nang is still a favourite destination for this tourist market because it has quite diverse tourism products with many attractions; located between heritage sites such as the ancient capital of Hue (Thua Thien Hue), Hoi An ancient town and My Son Sanctuary, both in Quang Nam Province which is convenient for visitors' sightseeing trips.

Tourists visit the Dragon Bridge area, Tran Hung Dao Street. Photo: THU HA

Mr. Lam Ny, in charge of ship operations at theDa Nang Branch of the Saigontourist Travel Services Company Limited, said that, the city is, currently also, very interested in the cruise passenger market because one of the advantages is the operation of the Da Nang Port which supports ships’ overnight port calls. This helps guests stay longer in Da Nang, with more time to visit, shop, and use services.

“However, products for City tours (tours within the city) are currently not chosen by many customers because they are not new and attractive. Therefore, it is necessary to increase amenities such as kiosks selling souvenirs, local specialties or shopping complexes near parking areas,  as well as improve quality, innovate products, increase experiences to attract more customers.”, Mr. Lam Ny proposed.

Chairman of the Da Nang Tourism Association Cao Tri Dung said that ships regularly calling at the Tien Sa Port show that Da Nang is still a destination not to be missed by tourists on their itinerary and is a very good sign in the bright picture of cruise tourism this year.

Given the impressive growth of ships calling at the Tien Sa Port, by 2025, the city will receive a number of cruise ship arrivals approaching the 2019 cruise season (about 100).

Many of the cruise ships coming to Da Nang often come from Northeast Asia (China, Japan) or from European and American markets with which Da Nang has air services.Because their stay is not long, tourists prioritize using services and products within the city and neighbouring areas such as Hoi An and My Son (Quang Nam).

In an effort to diversify and enrich products for this lucrative tourist market, the Da Nang Tourism Association plans to survey a number of tourist routes associated with indigenous cultural experiences such as walking, driving, sightseeing countryside areas such as Phong Nam and Tuy Loan villages in Hoa Vang District to add to the existing collections of products for customers.

According to the Da Nang Department of Tourism, it is expected that by 2024, Da Nang will have about 45 cruise ships with a total of more than 40,000 passengers. According to Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Tourism Tan Van Vuong, to promote the cruise ship market, the tourism industry is promoting its brand name and diversifying products to meet the needs, tastes and increase experiences for tourists.

Besides, it is a need to ensure the tourism environment, prevent tourist harassment, especially during times when cruise ships dock at the city, and create peace of mind for tourists during their stay in the city.

Reporting by THU HA - Translating by A.THU