Da Nang (VNA) – 𒐪As the COVID-19 situation in the country has been largely brought under control, the central city of Da Nang has taken this as an appropriate time to launch tourism promotion programmes so as to create a boost for the city’s economy.

With the determination to revive the tourism industry - a key economic sector that suffered heavy losses due to the pandemic, Da Nang has implemented concreted measures and mobilised all resources to promote tourism with the goal of attracting over 2.4 million tourist arrivals in the second half of the year. According to the municipal Department of Tourism, the local tourism sector reported losses totaling over 5.6 trillion VND (241.5 million USD) due to COVID-19. Over 35,800 people, making up 92.4 percent of the total tourism workers, were laid off or had their work suspended.

Promoting domestic tourism

On May 23, the department coordinated with the municipal Department of Industry and Trade and the Association of Tourism held a programme to boost tourism themed “Danang Thank You 2020” and launched Da Nang Fund to develop tourism. The programme, which will run until the year’s end, offers various services such as sightseeing tours, accommodation, shopping, entertainment, health care, and transportation. To date, the programme has attracted over 150 tourism businesses in the city with the launch of numerous services such as “Danang Fantastic Beach” from July 17 to 31, “Danang Fantastic Fortnight” from November 23 to December 6, and “Danang Fantastic Week” from December 22 to 28. The programme targets domestic markets with direct air routes to Da Nang such as Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Can Tho, the Central Highlands, Buon Me Thuot, the northwestern region, Hai Phong, Da Lat and Phu Quoc, as well as some international markets like East Asia, Southeast Asia, Australia, the US and India when the pandemic in these countries is under control. A lot of incentives will be offered to visitors such as free admission to popular tourist sites like Ngu Hanh Son (The Marble Mountains), Cham Museum, Da Nang Museum, and Art Museum from June 1 to August 31.

More discounts but service quality ensured

Many travel firms across the city have also launched tourism promotion programmes. When it is allowed to open to welcome visitors from April 30, Sun World Ba Na Hills – the biggest tourism site in Da Nang – launched a discount programme to explore central and Central Highland regions. Visitors to the 19 cities and provinces in the two regions will enjoy a discount of 60 percent when riding cable cars. Responding to the campaign “Vietnamese people travel Vietnam” of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, Vietravel Da Nang branch recently held the Caravan programme for nearly 100 tour guides and visitors to the ecotourism village of the Bha Lee-Ta Lang ethnic community in Tay Giang district in the neibourring Quang Nam province where about 90 households of Co Tu ethnic people are living. The Da Nang tourism promotion centre implemented communication campaigns with hastag and lively videos on social media to promote Da Nang’s tourism as a safe and friendly destination. Director of the municipal Department of Tourism Truong Thi Hong Hanh said local authorities have accompanied businesses to promote local tourism. The city aims to welcome more than 2.4 million arrivals in the last six months of 2020 and gross over 9 trillion VND (388 million USD) in revenues, she added. In 2019, Da Nang welcomed 8.69 million holidaymakers, including nearly 3.5 million foreigners, up 30.7 percent from the previous year./.