Within the framework of the working trip to Australia by the delegation of Da Nang’s officials, led by Permanent Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Council Tran Phuoc Son, the city organised a seminar to promote tourism and investment in Sydney on Friday afternoon.

Da Nang, Quang Nam and Thua Thien Hue signed a cooperation agreement with the Western Sydney Tourism Association.

In attendance at the event were Mr. Nguyen Dang Thang - Consul General of Viet Nam in Sydney, Mr. Robert Kok - Deputy Lord Mayor of Sydney, and more than 50 guests representing airlines, investors, tourism and service association and businesses, and press agencies in Sydney.

In his opening speech delivered at the event, Permanent Vice Chairman Tran Phuoc Son introduced the city's investment and business environment and its development orientation in the coming time. He also unveiled that the city has been approved by the National Assembly of Viet Nam to apply a number of specific mechanisms and policies so that the locality can proactively make breakthroughs in the time to come.

Permanent Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People's Council Tran Phuoc Son speaking at the seminar

To realise the goals of the comprehensive strategic partnership between Viet Nam and Australia, Da Nang has been concentrating on attracting foreign direct investment, especially from the Australian market. Therefore, the city leader wanted to invite businesses from Sydney, and Australia as a whole, to visit the city in order to learn about local investment environment and cooperation opportunities in trade and tourism.

Speaking at the event, Mr. Robert Kok, Deputy Lord Mayor of Sydney, said that Sydney is Australia's leading economic centre, with developed industrial and service industries, and is a gateway to business and tourism activities across Australia.

With a business community of 23,500 enterprises and its growth orientation based on innovation, the Sydney government welcomes cooperation opportunities with Da Nang businesses, thereby together realising the development goals of investment and tourism growth of both sides.

“We especially introduce to Australian partners the model of an ecological urban area with a harmonious combination of research - development, and training and high-tech production, with many outstanding incentives on land rental fees, corporate income tax, and import/export tax. This is one of the three national multifunctional high-tech parks in Viet Nam” Mr. Nguyen Cong Tien, Deputy Head of the Authority of Da Nang High-Tech Park and Industrial Zones, presented at the event.

Ms. Truong Thi Hong Hanh, Director of the municipal Department of Tourism, introduced to Australian partners the city’s tourism potential, with a focus on tourism products loved by Australian tourists such as beach resort tourism, cultural experience tourism, golf tourism, festival and event tourism, entertainment, cuisine, and the tourism programme “Central Heritage Journey” connecting Thua Thien Hue, Da Nang, and Quang Nam.

As part of the seminar, the tourism sectors of three central localities of Da Nang, Quang Nam and Thua Thien Hue signed a cooperation agreement with the Western Sydney Tourism Business Association. Accordingly, the parties will together provide tourism information, boost tourism promotion activities, and connect cooperation for mutual development.

At the event, delegates highly appreciated the information provided by the city, helping delegates and Australian businesses better understand the potential and investment, business and tourism opportunities of Da Nang.

Permanent Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People's Council Tran Phuoc Son (right) presenting a souvenir to the Deputy Mayor of Gold Coast City.

Previously, the city’s working delegation, on September 11, paid courtesy visits to leaders of the Queensland State and the Gold Coast City, Australia.

This was the first trip to Australia made by Da Nang leaders after COVID-19 pandemic was controlled. The purpose of the trip was to re-promote cooperation activities in the fields of tourism, trade, education and investment with Australian partners in the coming time.

At the working sessions, Mr. Son thanked the leaders of Queensland State and the Gold Coast City, and the Vietnamese Consulate General in Sydney, for their thoughtful and respectful reception of the delegation.

He took the opportunity to appeal for investors from Queensland to survey and invest in areas which are the state’s strengths such as hi-tech, digital transformation, green transformation, tourism management, and education in Da Nang. He also proposed that the state government offer short-term training for city officials in areas such as public health, local governance, biological conservation, digital economic development, and green economy.

In addition, Da Nang wished to promote two-way tourism between the two sides through promoting direct flights between Da Nang and Queensland, and at the same time, organise trade promotion activities in Da Nang, specifically the Taste of Queensland Program to promote products and enhance connections to supply products and goods of the two sides through the representative office of the Queensland Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Viet Nam.

The city leader expressed his desire that Da Nang and Gold Coast City will continue to promote specific cooperation activities in such spheres of tourism, education, innovation, film industry, healthcare and medicine, as well as soon promote the opening of Da Nang - Gold Coast air service to promote two-way tourism activities between the two sides.

In addition, Da Nang hoped that the two sides will actively exchange and share knowledge and experience in the fields of coordination, prevention, community consultation and disaster recovery; marine ecological conservation against risks of natural disasters; and initiatives to build smart transport systems and to protect the environment, and manage waste in the future.

On the occasion, Vice Chairman Tran Phuoc Son invited leaders of Queensland State and the Gold Coast City to attend the Forum of Friendly and Cooperative Cities - Da Nang 2025 with the theme "Meeting Da Nang - Convergence and Spread" scheduled to be held in January 2025.

On September 12, the Da Nang delegation had a working session with the Western Sydney International Airport to survey the smart airport model and discuss cooperation opportunities between Western Sydney Airport and Da Nang International Airport in promoting direct flights between State of New South Wales and Da Nang.

At the working session, Mr. Ian Bowing, General Manager of Airline Partnerships at Western Sydney Airport, introduced to Da Nang visitors the Western Sydney Airport project planned by the Australian Government. This will be Australia's most modern airport connecting Western Australia and New South Wales. Once operation in 2026, it will have a capacity of 10 million passengers/year and up to 80 million passengers during the 2030-2050 period.

Mr. Son believed that the project will play an important role in exploiting the potential of tourism, trade and investment relations between Viet Nam and Australia in general, and between Da Nang and the Western Sydney region, New South Wales in particular.

At the same time, he asked the local Department of Tourism, Da Nang International Airport, and the Da Nang International Terminal Investment and Operation Joint Stock Company (AHT) to actively work with the Management Board of the Western Sydney International Airport Project to promote the opening of direct flight routes between Da Nang and Western Sydney.

Leaders of Da Nang presenting souvenirs to leaders of Western Sydney International Airport.

Also on the evening of September 12, the city delegation visited the Consulate General of Viet Nam in Sydney.

Vietnamese Consul General in Sydney Nguyen Dang Thang happily welcomed the Da Nang delegation, and informed them about his agency’s efforts in supporting Vietnamese localities, including Da Nang, to connect with Australian partners.

In reply, Mr. Son thanked Consul General Nguyen Dang Thang for his active support in organising the working trip to New Zealand and Australia this time.

On behalf of the delegation, he expressed his wish that the Consul General and the Vietnamese Consulate General in Sydney will continue advertising the image of Da Nang to the Australian government and people, contributing to attracting more Australian tourists to the city in the coming time.

The Da Nang delegation paying a field inspection to the Western Sydney Airport project.

Permanent Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People's Council Tran Phuoc Son (left) presenting a souvenir to Vietnamese Consul General in Sydney Nguyen Dang Thang.

Reporting by P.V - Translating by M.DUNG