Da Nang is increasingly attracting Indian tourists with many types of tourism and diverse services such as MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, Exhibitions), wedding, beach, cultural and golf tourism. Recently, the Da Nang - Ahmedabad (India) direct air service was put into operation, opening up opportunities for Da Nang tourism to connect with this market.

Indian tourists arrive at the Da Nang International Airport. Photo: THU HA

Many incentive programmes for the Indian tourist market

To anticipate the Indian tourist market, the city’s tourism industry has recently organised training courses, seminars to share service experiences and build products to exploit the Indian market for service and tourism businesses across the city.

According to Mr. Parker Singh, Sales and Marketing Director at Furama Resort Da Nang, tourists from the Indian market often like new and unique experiences. Therefore, in addition to culinary preparation, local businesses need to prepare tourism products that suit the tastes of this type of customer.

Experts specialising in exploiting the Indian market also believe that Da Nang tourism businesses should proactively work directly with the market through travel agencies, contacts in India, or participate in fairs to meet partners directly instead of through other means.

In addition, instead of having to hire their own chefs, accommodation service businesses can work with restaurants specialising in Indian cuisine, providing suitable culinary products and services for guests and, if possible, arrange a separate space to serve cuisine for the Indian market if the number of guests is large to facilitate the service process.

Along with sharing experiences and skills in serving the Indian tourist market, the city’s tourism industry has also launched many attractive programmes to attract Indian tourists, especially for the Ahmedabad - Da Nang route, such as the Sun World Ba Na Hills tourist area giving away buffet tickets at its Bharata restaurant to all passenger on the first flight; Charming show art performance programme offering 50% discount on ticket prices for the first 180 guests; Vinwonders Nam Hoi An tourist area in Quang Nam Province with 10% discount on standard entrance tickets (with Wonder Ngon food voucher) or 10% discount on Green Forest Exploration tour tickets.

Indian tourists arrive in Da Nang via air. Photo: THU HA

Increasing products to exploit the flight route effectively

Arriving in Da Nang through the Ahmedabad-Da Nang air service in order to participate in the survey programme of Da Nang tourism services, Mr. Nitesh Jaiwal, Atrav Tech LTD (India) said that he had known Da Nang before and during this 4-day trip, he and representatives from Indian travel service agencies surveyed and experienced Da Nang tourism products, from which they could connect with local businesses to build suitable products.

He believed that the direct flight connection would inspire tourists from the two localities to travel more conveniently, and the formation of tourism products would also be easier.

As revealed by Mr. Do Xuan Quang, the Deputy General Director of Vietjet Air, Da Nang is highly appreciated by tourists and India as a very potential tourism market, so in addition to the recently opened Ahmedabad - Da Nang route, in the future the airline will continue to research connections and open a number of new routes to tap this foreign market most effectively.

According to Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Tourism Tan Van Vuong, in the nine months of 2024, despite no direct flights from major Indian cities to Da Nang, Da Nang welcomed 139,086 Indian visitors, an increase of 4.2% from the same period in 2023.

In the past time, the city provided information support for 20 out of the total 91 Indian MICE tourist groups with about 3,000 visitors, attracting 4 large weddings of Indian couples with a total of more than 1,200 guests. Therefore, opening a direct flight route is very important in promoting the growth of Indian visitors to Da Nang in the coming time.

To effectively exploit this route as well as promote the opening of more flights from some major Indian cities to Da Nang, the tourism industry will partner with airlines to continue to introduce the Da Nang tourism brand in the Indian market. At the same time, the city will organize survey teams, link with travel agencies and service providers in Da Nang, form products and tour programmes to meet the needs and tastes of the Indian tourist market.

The tourism industry also focuses on improving the quality of products and services to meet the needs and tastes of this tourist market as well as target high-spending customers.

Reporting by THU HA - Translating by A.THU