The Da Nang Visitor Centre under the Da Nang Tourism Promotion Centre has become a familiar address for domestic and foreign tourists when coming to Da Nang. From asking for directions, transportation, entertainment, sightseeing services to recovering the missing property and belongings, visitors always receive enthusiastic support and pieces of useful advice from the Da Nang Visitor Centre’s highly-qualified and kind - hearted staff.

The Da Nang sanitation worker (right) gives the wallet to a representative of the Da Nang Visitor Centre to return it to the US owner. Photo courtesy of the Da Nang Visitor Centre

At the end of 2023, Mr. Nguyen Van Trung and his wife, Ms. Nguyen Thi Tach, both of whom are workers at the Son Tra Environmental Enterprise of the Da Nang Urban Environment Company, picked up two wallets while being at work.

Inside the wallets were identification documents, bank cards, driver's licenses and foreign currency, Mr. Trung and Ms. Tach quickly took them to the headquarters of the administration of Phuoc My Ward, Son Tra District. Upon the reception of such information, on January 2, 2024, the Da Nang Visitor Centre quickly coordinated with Phuoc My Ward’s authorities in a bid to return them to their owners.

After 3 days of actively working, the Da Nang Tourist Centre identified two US tourists, the owners of the above-mentioned wallets. However, they had left Da Nang and at that time they was temporarily residing in a small village in Nagasaki city, Japan. The centre's specialists were able to contact with the two tourists.

After a period of careful discussion of methods, on January 5, 2024, the US tourist sent an email to the Da Nang Visitor Centre for assistance in recovering the wallets, identification documents, bank cards, driver's license via international express delivery.

As for the foreign currency in the wallets, after being used to pay the international express delivery fees for their personal documents, the tourist asked the centre to send the remaining amount of money to the above-mentioned cmarried couple as a thankyou reward. The US tourists have received these items sent by the centre within about 14 days.

According to Ms. Huynh Thi Huong Lan, the Deputy Director of the Da Nang Tourism Promotion Centre, leaders of the municipal Department of Tourism decided to award certificates of merit and bonuses according to regulations to Mr. Nguyen Van Trung and his wife, Ms. Nguyen Thi Tach as a way to encourage and praise their honesty and noble gestures. Their good deeds helped contribute to promoting the image of Da Nang as a safe and friendly- tourist city.

Not only do the specialists of the Da Nang Tourist Centre enthusiastically support and help tourists when travelling in Da Nang, but many local residents also regularly help tourists. Recently, a resident of Khue My Ward, Ngu Hanh Son District shared a story about two elderly South Korean tourist during their stay in Da Nang. While swimming, one of the two guests dropped his mobilephone into the water. The big waves made it impossible for them to find the mobile phone. He was very worried and scared because the phone stored all his personal data and other important information. Fortunantely, Da Nang swimmers nearby enthusisasticially assisted him in recovering his phone.

These are many stories about Da Nang people’s kind support for tourists every day spread on social networking sites. Although these actions are small, they have contributed to building a brand for the tourist city. Each citizen is considered to be a tourism ambassador spreading good things.

According to Ms. Huynh Thi Thien Nga, in charge of the Da Nang Visitor Centre, for tourists, especially foreigners, when travelling, losing belongings and identification documents may cause them to face many difficulties. Fully aware of troubles facing tourists, whenever tourists ask for help, the centre’s staff always makes great efforts to support them in the maximum possible way.

In the first month of the year, a large number of international visitors, mainly South Korean visitors, came to the Da Nang Visitor Center at 18 Hung Vuong. They mainly asked about information related to ticket prices for tourist attractions, festival programmes and special events taking place during the Lunar New Year of the Dragon 2024, the time when the dragon’s head at the eastern end of the Rong Bridge will breathe fire and squirt water

In 2023, the Da Nang Visitor Centre held reception for 42,475 visitors at the headquarter and its information counters at the Da Nang Internaitonal Airport, an increase of 54% over the same period. The centre received 5,645 calls, 447 emails, 1,261 messages from tourists via social networking applications, received and handled more than 260 situations where tourists made recommendations or needed help.

Reporting by HA KHUE - Translating by A.THU