Da Nang tourism flourishes

Da Nang, July 13 (VNA) – The central city of Da Nang has conducted numerous tourism activities so far this year, thus greatly contributing to the local socio-economic development. In the first six months of this year, local accommodation facilities served more than 3.8 million visitors, tripling the figure recorded in the same period of 2022, including 960,000 foreigners, 16.6 times higher over the same period last year. Revenue from tourism activities reached 7.43 trillion VND (313.76 million USD), doubling the first half of 2022’s number. According to Vice Chairwoman of the municipal People’s Committee Ngo Thi Kim Yen, Da Nang tourism is recovering and developing strongly. Many large-scale events were held so far this year, she said, highlighting that the resumption of the Da Nang Firework Festival after a three-year hiatus due to the COVID-19 pandemic helped the city attract a large number of visitors. Vice Director of the Da Nang Department of Tourism Tan Van Vuong said that the city will organise the Summer Festival - Wow Da Nang from July 28 to August 1 with 11 activities, including a music gala gathering many famous singers, and a paragliding performance along the beach. Within the programme’s framework, a Vietnamese and international cuisine festival will be held from July 28 to August 1 with more than 50 booths offering special dishes of different regions and countries, he said. Meanwhile, Vice Director of the city Department of Culture and Sports Nguyen Thi Hoi An said that in the time to come, the city will organise various cultural and art activities to draw tourists, including a light festival from July 12-23 at the western side of Da Nang's signature Rong (Dragon) Bridge. At the same time, the city will renovate its tourism products and services to improve visitors’ experience, along with cultural exchange activities with other countries, including a Vietnam-Japan festival on the occasion of the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two countries (September 21, 1973-2023) from July 13-17. On July 11, 2023, the Prime Minister signed to issue Decision No. 822/QD-TTg approving a planning for protecting, restoring and preserving Ngu Hanh Son national special landscape covering over 1.04 million sq.m in Ngu Hanh Son district, opening a new space for cultural and tourism development of Da Nang. In the coming time, Da Nang plans to continue to offer new tourism products and further improve its tourism service quality, striving to clinch its position as a leading tourist destination in Asia. Da Nang has a total of 90 kilometres of coastline and dozens of beaches, including stunning My Khe. Meanwhile, the city’s Ngu Hanh Son (Marble Mountain) district is renowned as a centre for stone sculpture art, with Non Nuoc craft village standing at the foot of the Marble Mountain. Experts said those natural advantages, combined with Da Nang’s modern infrastructure, good services, safety and hospitality, create unique traits for the central coastal city. Da Nang has emerged as a destination of leisure, media and spiritual tourism, as well as entertainment and shopping activities, and a venue of conferences. The city was named in the top 10 holiday places in Asia by the prestigious online tourism magazine Smart Travel Asia, and the top 10 fresh destinations by the global online accommodation reservation provider Agoda in 2013. In addition, the Da Nang International Airport was ranked third among the best in the world in 2014, according to a survey by Dragon Air. According to the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, Da Nang is the best place to live in Vietnam with many world records. The cable line that takes visitors to the peak of Ba Na Hills at an altitude of 1,487 metres in just 17 minutes and is able to carry 3,000 passengers per hour won four Guinness Records in 2013. Besides, Sun Wheel, which is 115 metres in height and situated in Asian Park, Hai Chau district, has been listed among the 10 tallest wheels in the world.-VNA