Within the framework of the "Meeting ASEAN in Da Nang 2025", the discussion session themed "Cooperation to promote ASEAN - Da Nang tourism" was organised in the central coastal city on Wednesday afternoon.

Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Do Hung Viet, Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Le Trung Chinh and Secretary General of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Malaysia Dato' Sri Amran Mohamed Zin co-chaired the event.

The event saw the attendance of leaders of ministries, departments, branches, and senior officials from the 10 ASEAN member countries and their partners.

Mr. Tan Van Vuong, Deputy Director of Da Nang Department of Tourism, at the discussion session.

Expanding flight connections

Ms. Milena Maria da Costa Rangel, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs of Timor-Leste, assessed that Da Nang has recently been known as a popular tourist destination for Timor-Leste holidaymakers.

Da Nang is recognised as a model for tourism development, with numerous effective initiatives that showcase its dynamism. As a result, Timor-Leste seeks to connect and learn from Da Nang's practices. It is believed that both sides will collaborate more closely in the fields of tourism and services, she said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Soe Ko Ko, Charge d'Affaires of Myanmar in Viet Nam, emphasised that the launching of Myanmar Airways International-operated direct flight route connecting Yangon (Myanmar) with Da Nang on April 2 contributed to strengthening cooperation between Da Nang and localities and partners of Myanmar in the coming time, especially in tourism field.

Similarly, Mr. Meynardo LB. Montealegre, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Philippines to Viet Nam, said that Da Nang in particular, and Viet Nam in general, have become familiar destinations for Filipino tourists. In particular, at the end of 2023, Cebu Pacific Air operated the regular Manila (Philippines) - Da Nang air route with a frequency of 3 flights/week.

The Philippines wished to increase the frequency of flights to promote tourism between the two countries, he stated.

Mr. Meynardo LB. Montealegre said that Da Nang is the leading destination for festivals with a series of events held in recent times such as the International Fireworks Festival, the Da Nang Asian Film Festival, and the Da Nang Golf Tourism Festival.

In addition, the Philippines and Da Nang have had many cultural and educational exchange activities in recent times, further strengthening the cooperation between the two sides in the coming time.

The Da Nang Tourism Association signed a cooperation agreement with the Philippines on enhancing bilateral tourism cooperation.

Strengthening tourism promotion and market linkage activities

According to Mr. Cao Tri Dung, the Chairman of the Da Nang Tourism Association, the ASEAN region has consistently been one of the top tourist sources for Viet Nam in general and Da Nang in particular. In 2024, the ASEAN region is expected to generate the second highest number of visitors to the city.

Given this context, Mr. Dung emphasised that Da Nang had great potential for collaboration with ASEAN countries to develop a variety of tourism products. He suggested that to realize this potential, the city needs to enhance its promotional activities and strengthen market connections to effectively advance its tourism development.

Sharing the same view, Mr. Tan Van Vuong, Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Tourism, said that aside from national tourism linkage activities, the city has recently carried out many promotion and linkage activities in this market through the signing of tourism cooperation agreements with 5 localities in the ASEAN region, and between Da Nang - Hue - Quang Nam and the Malaysia - Viet Nam Friendship Association.

Da Nang also plays an important role in connecting and attracting tourists to the ASEAN region thanks to its position as a gateway for air, sea and road routes, and as the end point of the East-West Economic Corridor connecting countries in the region.

In the coming time, the Da Nang tourism industry will concentrate on implementing linkage and cooperation policies between Da Nang and ASEAN member nations; developing new and attractive tourism products; strengthening cooperation in advertising tourism and exchanging tourist sources; and cooperating in training human resources to meet international standards.

On the occasion, the Da Nang Tourism Association inked Memoranda of Understanding with the Tourism Associations of Malaysia and the Philippines to conduct tourism promotion support activities.

Reporting by M.QUE, X.HAU, Q.CUONG - Translating by M.DUNG