The continuous operation of new air routes has significantly contributed to affirming the role of Da Nang as a "gateway" to Central Viet Nam.

Da Nang's tourism industry and related units are making efforts to promote cooperation with domestic and foreign airlines to attract more tourists to the city. Photo: DIEP NHU

According to Mrs. Nguyen Thi Hoai An, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Tourism, there have been 20 air routes connecting Da Nang with destinations at both home and abroad so far. Of which, there have been five domestic routes connecting Da Nang with Ho Chi Minh City, Ha Noi, Da Lat, Hai Phong and Can Tho; and 15 regular international routes to Bangkok (Thailand), Singapore, Kuala Lumpur (Malaysia), Taipei - Taichung - Kaohsiung (Taiwan - China), Macau (China), Hong Kong (China), Siem Reap (Cambodia), Incheon - Busan - Daegu - Cheongju (South Korea), Narita (Japan), and Manila (the Philippines).

In the first 9 months of 2024, Da Nang welcomed an average of 115 flights/day, including 64 domestic flights and 51 international flights. On September 24, the first Malaysia Airlines-operated flight on the Kuala Lumpur - Da Nang route landed at Da Nang International Airport.

With a flight network spanning Asia, Europe, and Oceania to nearly 1,000 destinations in more than 170 countries and territories worldwide, Malaysia Airlines is expected to be the bridge to help the central coastal city expand its tourist market to attractive destinations around the world.

On board the flight from Kuala Lumpur to Da Nang operated by Malaysia Airlines, Mr. Amir Azaman from Malaysia shared that Da Nang boasted many amazing landscapes and tourist attractions that were close to world cultural heritages.

The opening of the Kuala Lumpur - Da Nang air route has facilitated tourists of the two localities to travel for tourism, vacation as well as other business activities. This also helps increase the choice of travel for tourists as well as the source of visitors for the two countries.

As planned, budget carrier Vietjet Air will launch an air route connecting Da Nang with Ahmedabad (India) in October.

Additionally, low-cost airline Citilink will operate the first direct charter flights from Jakarta (Indonesia) to Da Nang by the end of 2024. The Indonesian airline will work with travel companies in Da Nang and Central Viet Nam to open the route with a frequency of two flights per week.

In addition to policies to attract domestic tourists, the city’s tourism industry will continue to concentrate on fostering the opening of direct international flights between Da Nang and such markets as China, Japan (Nagoya, Osaka) and Australia in the coming time in a bid to increase the number of potential international visitors. The city will pay attention to expanding and exploiting tourist markets in the US, the Middle East, Uzbekistan, Southeast Asia, etc.

As for the Chinese market in particular, the municipal Department of Tourism is coordinating with relevant parties to speed up the restoration of regular and charter flights between major cities in China and Da Nang as soon as possible.

In 2025, the local tourism industry plans to work with Da Nang International Airport, the Da Nang International Terminal Investment and Operation JSC, airlines and tourism businesses to organise a conference to discuss in-depth solutions to restore, maintain, and promote international flights to Da Nang.

The Department of Tourism continues to coordinate with airlines and tourism firms to promote the reopening of charter flights from Chengdu, Hangzhou and Guangzhou in China; Jakarta and Bali in Indonesia; Nagoya and Osaka in Japan; Sydney and Melbourne in Australia; and Doha in Qatar to Da Nang.

In order to effectively exploit domestic and international visitors, the city has also directed the local tourism industry to strengthen solutions, with focuses on promoting cooperation in tourism development; innovating communication strategies; renewing destinations; and developing new, unique products and services that are suitable to the trends and tastes of each customer market.

By late 2024, the total number of guests staying at Da Nang’s accommodation establishments is likely to reach 10.3 million, up nearly 40% compared to 2023 (international visitors are estimated to stand at 4.2 million, 2.1 times higher than that of the same period.

The total number of guests staying at local accommodation establishments are expected to be more than 10.5 million, an increase of 6% compared to 2024, of which international visitors are estimated to hit 4.3 million, a rise of 11%, domestic visitors are estimated to reach more than 6.2 million.

Mrs. Truong Thi Hong Hanh, Director of the Da Nang Department of Tourism, informed that currently, international destinations are facing strong competition such as Thailand and China, due to low prices, flexible visa policies, government support for airlines to open routes, and cash vouchers to tourists. Therefore, the trend of shifting some traditional tourist markets to new destinations has been happening. Shifting the international tourist markets is one of the problems that require the tourism industry and businesses to evaluate more comprehensively for suitable long-term solutions.

Reporting by DIEP NHU - Translating by M.DUNG