Da Nang has truly become one of the major tourism centres of Viet Nam and the region, making an important contribution to the rising-up of tourism in the Central Coast region and the spectacular growth of Viet Nam tourism. In the context of rapid changes in consumption trends and increasing demands of tourists, Da Nang needs to maximize its existing advantages, overcome limitations, form a high-quality tourism service ecosystem, strongly promote potential tourist markets... in order to create new growth drivers.

A beautiful image of Da Nang. Photo: KIM LIEN

Goals of developing high-quality tourism services

Resolution 43-NQ/TW of the Politburo on the construction and development of Da Nang by 2030, with a vision towards 2045, identifies the need for a policy to prioritize resources, focusing on developing 5 key areas of the city, in which priority is given to developing tourism and high-quality services associated with resort real estate. Decision 147/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister approving the Viet Nam Tourism Development Strategy by 2030 identifies that by 2030, tourism will truly be a key economic sector and develop sustainably. Viet Nam has become a particularly attractive destination, focusing on developing quality tourism products, expanding markets with the potential for rapid growth, large visitor sources, high spending, long-term stays and enhancing service quality in the product value chain...

Resolution No. 43-NQ/TW and Decision No. 147/QD-TTg are considered the basis and driving force for the Da Nang tourism industry to continue to promote its potential and advantages, gradually affirming the brand of a high-quality tourism service destination on the domestic and international tourism map.
With the advantages of tourism resources of Da Nang and neighbouring destinations, tourist trends, orientations of the Central Government and the tourism industry, Da Nang has had projects, orientations, plans and determination in implementation to make itself an attractive destination for tourists, especially high-end travellers, to compete with other similar destinations that are attracting high-quality tourists in the region such as Bali (Indonesia), Phuket (Thailand) and Singapore ...

The city has set out a number of orientations in tourism development to meet the increasing needs of tourists. Specifically, the orientation is to form key spaces to develop high-quality and high-end tourism. The east coast tourism space aims to develop high-end luxury and super luxury resorts; forming a night-time economic centre and high-end tourism services, focusing on a complex of financial centres, trade, services, entertainment and casinos. The Danang Bay tourism space focuses on developing high-quality entertainment complexes, resorts associated with resort real estate along Nguyen Tat Thanh coastal route. The Central urban tourism space (along the Han River), "airport urban" space and tourist seaport orient the development of night-time economy, high-quality around-the-clock services.

The city eyes to prioritize the development of high-class, super luxury tourist accommodation types, creative design, sustainable style; high-quality tourist area system; infrastructure, services meeting national/international standards... Heed will be paid to the following main and typical product groups: high-end sea and resort tourism (with product/service lines for high-end and super luxury segments), urban tourism associated with shopping, entertainment and MICE tourism, cultural - historical tourism with local identity, differentiated on the basis of historical relic resources, traditional cultural values, historical journey of the land and people of Da Nang; eco-tourism; night-time tourism; inland waterway tourism, culinary tourism; community-based tourism products, agricultural and rural tourism.

As for other orientations, the city will increase the number of high-spending visitors from domestic markets; improve the quality of tourist sources (increasing spending capacity and length of stay), attract high-end visitor segments, including attracting business travellers, resort guests and golfers from key international markets. As for developing human resources in the tourism industry, importance will be attached to ensuring quantity and quality, achieving the goal of high-quality, professional human resources to achieve high quality in professional expertise, fluent communication in foreign languages within the scope of the profession and having professional skills, style and service attitude. Also, building a strong and branded business system at home and abroad will be taken into consideration.

A scene of the Hai Van Gate. Photo: XUAN SON

Solutions for developing high-quality tourism services

Regarding mechanisms and policies

Focus should be on effectively implementing approved tourism development policies and plans, while reviewing, evaluating and promptly adjusting according to the actual situation; reviewing and proposing amendments and supplements to mechanisms and policies that are no longer suitable, or proposing new ones to develop tourism into a key economic sector, especially the ecosystem of high-quality tourism products.

It is a need to propose more open visa policies to enhance competitiveness, such as a common visa policy for Southeast Asian countries, digital nomad visas, expanding the list of unilateral visa exemptions, piloting short-term visa exemptions for visitors from large and high-spending markets.
It is also necessary to deploy the Free Trade Zone and International Financial Centre in Da Nang, including a proposed duty-free shopping area and a high-quality goods business area.

There are policies to support businesses and workers in the tourism sector, attracting talents and experts to work in Da Nang, assist travel businesses to become stronger and more capable of exploiting international markets, provide supportive resources for market promotion, have support mechanisms for direct flights connecting Da Nang with Europe, North America, Australia, the Middle East and other parts of the world.

Regarding investment and development of tourism products

The city needs to continuously develop and perfect the main product groups: high-end sea tourism, cultural-historical tourism associated with indigenous culture, MICE tourism, urban tourism and eco-tourism; diversify tourism products to capture customer trends, increase rich travel experiences at tourist attractions.

It is high time for the city to develop high-end and super luxury tourism products to attract personal events; standardize service organization processes with high-quality product positioning, promote responsible tourism, eco-tourism, community tourism and encourage the use of environmentally friendly materials.

The city should develop health care and sports tourism on the basis of exploiting the advantages of unique natural conditions, creating a distinct lifestyle tourism product line; develop culinary tourism as a cultural and artistic tourism product, strengthen the linkage of culinary tourism product supply chains.

Another must-do is to strengthen public transport connections to key night tourism areas; develop infrastructure and facilities to ensure space and amenities for tourism; apply technology to products and services to bring optimal convenience and experience to customers; strengthen links with partners in the tourism, trade and service value chain to create diverse and unique shopping complexes and streets; develop MICE tourism associated with modern, synchronous facilities and high-quality services.

Regarding the market

It is need to focus on exploiting traditional key markets such as South Korea, Japan, Southeast Asia, Australia, Europe, North America, and the Middle East.

Focus should be placed on ensuring customer care to turn each tourist into an effective promotional channel; conducting annual tourist opinion surveys to assess satisfaction levels and forecast market conditions; coperating with large traditional travel agencies (TAs) and online travel agencies (OTAs) to carry out marketing campaigns, promote products and services, especially high-quality products.

The city needs to promote the application of technology in communication and promotion through digitizing tourism resources, digitizing multilingual explanations, upgrading websites and smart tourism applications, inviting famous and influential people of international stature to experience and introduce destinations on social networks.

Ensure the tourism environment and link to development cooperation

It is necessary to raise awareness among all levels, sectors, business communities and people of tourism civilization, ensuring professionalism, reputation, build tourism culture and business ethics, continue to affirm Da Nang as a safe, secure, friendly and hospitable destination.

Another heed must be paid to publicising tourism development, tourism environment protection; strongly developing community ecotourism, tourism associated with exploiting indigenous values, associated with the livelihoods of local people; creating products rich in experiences and highly personalized to serve customers with high spending capacity and love to explore.

Also importantly, the city should keep an eye on accelerating projects to prevent pollution of beaches and bathing areas; encouraging the conversion to vehicles that reduce emissions towards net zero; forming a green ecosystem in all activities of the city.

It is a need to implement cooperation and association plans with provinces and cities all over the country, in the region and internationally to develop tourism, especially connecting with neighbouring Quang Nam and Hue, coordinate to form specific product groups of the 3 localities to serve high-end customers, mobilise resources in market positioning and implement promotional activities.

Ensuring the quality of tourism human resources

Developing high-quality tourism human resources and a sustainable tourism labour market is of great importance, too. Attention should be paid to increasing the proportion of tourism human resources who are well-trained and have the ability to use foreign languages fluently; sharing orientations and forecasts on long-term tourist market development to proactively prepare suitable human resources, especially those who can use some rare languages, along with high-level personnel, skilled workers with deep expertise in some fields, some types of high-quality services.

Along with that, the city should coordinate with investors and the business community in long-term planning and attract workers according to the progress of large projects, combine the transfer of highly specialized and skilled workers from tourism centers and developed destinations with organizing training and regular skill improvement for the workforce to meet the increasing needs of the service system.

Last, but not the least, it is essential to strengthen links with university, postgraduate and vocational training institutions in tourism in the city; regularly evaluate and update training programmes to meet the long-term development requirements of the tourism labor market, especially high-quality labour; strengthen business connections in training activities, improve practical access capacity and providing flexible seasonal labor sources for businesses.

Reporting by Dr. CAO TRI DUNG – Translating by ANH THU