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Competitors light up the Han River in Da Nang as they compete in the city's annual fireworks display.
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DA NANG is offering incentives for tourism investment
24-05-2010
April/May 2010 ATI Magazine
DA NANG is offering incentives to foreign investors as it moves to ramp up tourism facilities, both in Da Nang City and the wider region . . .
Xuan Binh Nguyen, Director of the Da Nang Centre for Tourism Promotion, says the Da Nang area expects to welcome two million tourists in 2012, and hopes to double this number to four million by 2012 as new tourism infrastructure comes online.
Binh says Da Nang International Airport, which now hosts direct flights from Singapore, Japan (Fukuoka), Guangzhou and Taipei, is being upgraded to cater for four million international passengers annually by 2010. There are plans to upgrade cruise terminal facilities.
Currently, top international source markets for Da Nang are Thailand, China and Japan in that order. “The longer-haul market is still affected by the economic downturn,” Binh told ATI. He says foreign investment accounts for 70 per cent of tourist sector development, with Koreans the main investors in hotels, resorts and golf facilities. “We are offering incentives to foreign investors,” Binh says. “We offer tax incentives, land leasing and clear the way in administrative procedures.”
Binh says a key advantage for the Da Nang region is that it is home to four UNESCO heritage-listed sites. These are –
• Hoi An Ancient Town, just 30 km from Da Nang, one of the best-preserved examples of a Southeast Asian port dating from the 15th to 19th century. The city’s buildings and street plan reflect both local and foreign influences.
• My Son Holyland, 60 km from Da Nang City, an imperial city from the Cham dynasty, dating from the 4th to 12th centuries. My Son Sanctuary is a large complex of religious relics offering more than 70 architectural works.
• Hue Citadel, begun in 1804 and serving as Vietnam’s capital until around 1945. Royal tombs are scattered around the countryside of Hue, 120 km from Da Nang.
• Phong Nha Cave, in Ke Bang National Park, part of a complex foundation formed some 400 million years ago. In 1990, a British expedition explored 35 km of the cave, noting that the main cavern is nearly 8km long — with 14 other caves nearby. Phong Nha is 300km northwest of Da Nang.
Da Nang is building its international tourism promotion activities around an international fireworks competition, now in its third year. The 2010 event, over the last weekend of March, attracted five teams from Japan, Portugal, the US, France and Vietnam, with around 80,000 visitors watching the display over two nights on the banks of the Han River. The French team won, followed by the US and Vietnam.
Average length of stay in Da Nang is currently one-and-a-half days, with most visitors including the region in a wider Vietnam itinerary. “Obviously, we would like to see them stay longer in the future as we bring new attractions and facilities on-line,” says Binh.
In December, Da Nang saw the opening of its first casino, the Crowne International, which will form part of a US$160 million five-star Silver Shores International Resort now under construction on the Da Nang beachfront.
Soft opening of the resort is planned for January 2011. Target date for completion of all 584 deluxe rooms and suites, and 52 villas with ocean view, is July 2011.
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