After the “Da Nang Smile” campaign, “4 ‘xin’: xin chao (hello), xin cam on (thank you), xin phep (asking for permission) and xin loi (sorry)”, and “4 ‘always’: always smile, always be gentle, always listen and always help” movements, the city continues to issue the Da Nang Tourism Culture Criteria. This is an effort to build the image of a friendly and hospitable city, contributing to leaving a good impression on tourists at both home and abroad, thereby making them return to Da Nang more often.

Da Nang strives to build an image of a friendly and hospitable destination. IN PHOTO: The Da Nang Tourist Support Centre provides active support for visitors to the city, creating a friendly and safe tourism environment in the city. Photo: NGOC HA

Tourism “ambassadors”

According to Tran Thi Nhat Phuong who is a receptionist at the Fusion Suites Da Nang, service quality plays an extremely important role in the service industry in general and the hotel industry in particular. Aside from facilities and technical factors (rooms, food, drinks, etc.), the attitude and behaviour of the staff is a decisive factor in attracting and retaining tourists.

Ms. Nhat Phuong shared “Hotel receptionists are the first department to contact guests, so they must always smile. We believe that the satisfaction of tourists is the joy of service providers. However, to do that, I have to practice regularly and improve my behavioral and communication skills as well because it is not only a job but also the image of the unit and, more deeply, contributes to building the city's hospitality brand”

Phuong also highlighted the significance of the issuance of the Da Nang Cultural Tourism Criteria in helping those working in the service and tourism industry to implement the standards according to the set criteria.

Ms. Nguyen Thi Thanh Minh, tour guide of the Saigontourist Travel Company, stated that in order for tourists to like and love the destination, the tour guide must have a deep understanding of the destination and have the skills to fully convey it to tourists. Only then can tour guides complete their personal work better, and at the same time become cultural and tourism ambassadors of the city.

Many destinations under the management of public service units are also constantly improving and enhancing the quality of service to tourists. Mr. Nguyen Van Hien, Head of the Management Board of Marble Mountains Tourist Area, said that in the past time, the unit has well implemented the "4 xin" and "4 always" movements to bring satisfaction to visitors.

Improving quality of tourism services

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Hoai An, Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Tourism, the city has paid special attention to developing human resources and improving the quality of tourism services.

In 2024, the tourism industry organised 21 programmes including 7 knowledge update classes for tour guides, 8 programmes to exchange information and discuss solutions to attract domestic and international tourists, and 6 seminars to improve professional skills for tourism human resources.

In December, two major competitions were held for tour guides and receptionists, namely the 2024 Da Nang Excellent Tour Guide Competition and the 2024 Da Nang Hotel Receptionist Competition.

“In the overall success of the tourism industry in 2024, there are contributions from those who directly contact tourists. There are unique tourism products but tourism workers themselves are not professional, they cannot attract and retain tourists to come and return many times. In the context of fierce competition among destinations, tourism workers must improve themselves, improve their skills, and contribute to creating the quality of destinations" said Ms. Hoai An.

According to the Da Nang Department of Tourism, the municipal People's Committee recently issued Document No. 2689/QD-UBND on promulgating the Da Nang Tourism Culture Criteria. The criteria apply to two groups of subjects: agencies, organisations, and individuals at the destination (including organisations and individuals doing business in the tourism sector in the city; State management agencies for tourism in the city, tourism vocational training establishments, and city residents); and groups of domestic and international tourists coming to the city.

The set of criteria guides civilised and cultural behaviour, attitudes, and manners in tourism activities, helping to better organise tourism activities in the city. At the same time, it contributes to building and maintaining the image of a green, clean, beautiful, civilised, hospitable, safe and sustainably developed tourist city with its own identity, thereby creating a distinct appeal for the destination from positive habits and behaviours in daily activities.

In particular, there are 5 cultural criteria for tourists visiting and staying in the city. As for the criteria of traffic culture, tourists are asked to voluntarily comply with traffic laws, and not to violate law on road traffic order and safety.

Regarding the criteria of cultural behaviour, tourists are banned from having uncivilised behaviour in public places. They must behave politely with the local community and culturally on the internet environment, as well as wear polite and discreet clothing when visiting historical and cultural relics and spiritual places.

For the cultural criteria of supporting local economic development, it is necessary to encourage and support businesses that are responsible for the environment and society.

With regard to the cultural criteria of protecting the environment, it is necessary to maintain public hygiene in public places, save energy and protect the environment and ecosystem.

Efforts will be made to inform tourists about basic criteria of cultural behaviour at destinations, and recommend inappropriate behaviors, aiming to improve the relationship between tourists and destinations in Da Nang.

Reporting by NGOC HA - Translating by M.DUNG - VÕ TÙNG