Over recent years, Da Nang has enjoyed rapid growth of international tourist arrivals. Hence, the tourist support centre of the Da Nang Tourism Promotion Centre at 108 Bach Dang Street has made great efforts to attract even more supporters to give timely assistance to foreign visitors.

An employee from the tourist support centre giving free tourism information to foreigners

In the first quarter of this year, the tourist support centre received around 7,000 visitors who came to ask for tourism information.

In addition, around 200 visitors called the support centre’s hotlines to ask for such information. Free tourism information was provided for over 9,000 domestic and foreign visitors at the 2 information desks at Da Nang International Airport.

Ms Le Thi Ai Chung from the tourist support centre said her centre has received complaints from visitors about the quality and prices of tourism services in the city.

Therefore, in addition to providing free tourism information for, and receiving complaints from visitors, the Centre’s staff members have become actively involved in returning missing passports, phones, personal papers and property to owners, as well as providing translators for non-English-speaking tourists in some unexpected incidents.

“Most recently, the Centre has focused on attracting more supporters in order to help foreigners handle emergency cases, especially those from such key tourist markets as South Korea, China and Japan”, Ms Chung remarked.

One of the Centre’s active supporters is Mrs Park Seunghwa who is an employee of the South Korean Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, and is working in Da Nang.

Over the past year, the South Korean national has been actively involved in helping tourists from her country who are in need of help.

Mrs Park is always willing to help anytime visitors from her country need help.

For instance, in February, a male tourist from South Korea got lost on Vo Nguyen Giap Street. Due to having some health problems, he couldnot remember anything about the hotel where he stayed.

After receiving a report about this case, the Centre’s staff immediately called Mrs Park.

With the help of Mrs Park, the Centre’s staff then found necessary information relating to the MT hotel where he was staying.

The Centre's staff then contacted the tour guide who was then asked to take the South Korean man to the hospital for medical check-ups.

Also in February, the Centre received a report from local residents about a female South Korean tourist, 60, who got lost on Dien Bien Phu Street.

The Centre also asked for help from Mrs Park because the tourist couldnot speak English.

Under the support of Mrs Park, the Centre’s staff helped the tourist contact her family members.

Ms Huynh Thi Huong Lan, Deputy Director of the Da Nang Tourism Promotion Centre, said in addition to Mrs Park, her Centre has always welcomed third-and- fourth-year-students from the municipal University of Foreign Language Studies to work as supporters.

These students will be trained about general knowledge about the city’s tourism, soft skills, and some skills to do their jobs well.