Tourism in Quang Nam does not follow seasonal trends.

Việt Nam•10/05/2024

The number of tickets sold to visit Hoi An Ancient Town during the April 30th - May 1st holiday was only equivalent to a normal day. Photo: QT

Not significantly better than usual.

According to statistics from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, during the recent April 30th - May 1st holiday, Quang Nam welcomed over 230,000 visitors, generating approximately 600 billion VND in tourism revenue.

However, a review of statistics from other provinces and cities shows that this figure is still quite modest compared to the top provinces. Seven localities had tourism revenue exceeding 1 trillion VND during this holiday period, including Thanh Hoa, Ho Chi Minh City, Hanoi , Quang Ninh, Nghe An, Da Nang, and Khanh Hoa.

Besides the annual inclusion of the nation's top tourist destinations, some of the destinations on this list may come as a surprise to many.

However, it must also be acknowledged that these destinations have made excellent use of their unique characteristics to attract seasonal tourists, especially during major holidays, attracting up to a million visitors in just a few days. During other times of the year, it is difficult to achieve such a breakthrough.

Returning to Quang Nam, with the goal of welcoming 7.6 million tourists in 2024, the more than 230,000 visitors during the April 30th - May 1st holiday can be seen as a normal number, similar to other occasions throughout the year, and even a 5% decrease compared to the same period last year.

International tourists regularly account for over 95% of visitors to the My Son Sanctuary. Photo: QT

To reach the target of 7.6 million visitors in 2024, the province needs to welcome an average of over 20,000 visitors per day; whereas during the recent holiday period, Quang Nam welcomed less than 50,000 visitors per day, mainly from within the province and neighboring areas.

Statistics from the Hoi An City Center for Culture, Sports and Tourism also indicate that during the recent holiday, the center sold approximately 5,500 entrance tickets per day, equivalent to other normal days of the year. Therefore, overall, the number of tourists and overnight stays in Hoi An did not experience a significant breakthrough compared to other times of the year.

Persistently build sustainable destinations.

According to statistics from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, a positive sign during the recent April 30th - May 1st holiday was that while the number of visitors decreased by 13% compared to the same period last year, the number of overnight stays increased by 16%; with international overnight stays increasing by as much as 30%.

The indicators once again show that international tourists in Quang Nam still outnumber domestic tourists. In the first four months of 2024, Quang Nam welcomed 1.4 million international tourists and nearly 1 million domestic tourists.

During the April 30th - May 1st holiday, the international market accounted for 57% of the total number of visitors and 55% of the total number of overnight guests in Quang Nam. Even at unique destinations like the My Son Sanctuary (Duy Xuyen), international visitors completely dominated, accounting for over 95% of the total number of visitors to this heritage site.

Thus, after a period of severe impact from the COVID-19 pandemic, Quang Nam's tourist market structure is gradually returning to its previous trajectory and faster than predicted a few years ago, with international tourists slightly outnumbering international tourists (accounting for approximately 55-60% of the total tourist structure).

The above figures are not intended to differentiate between tourist markets, but rather to once again demonstrate that Quang Nam is a rather unique destination, as very few localities in the country have a larger proportion of international tourists than domestic tourists.

The mixed reviews from tourist markets regarding Quang Nam province, especially Hoi An, in recent times are inevitable because it is very difficult for a destination to accommodate and satisfy all tourists, as perceived by the leaders of the Hoi An City People's Committee.

Quang Nam's tourism industry faces difficulties competing seasonally with some other destinations and needs to focus on maximizing its unique advantages to enhance its attractiveness and become a sustainable destination. (Photo: QT)

Mr. Nguyen Van Son, Chairman of the People's Committee of Hoi An City, believes that, given the unique characteristics of an ancient city, it is impossible to transform the central area of Hoi An into an entertainment zone.

Hoi An is still striving to innovate and create more products that contribute to honoring its heritage, but it's unreasonable to expect the ancient town to offer a wide variety of services to meet the needs of all tourists.

It can be said that Quang Nam's tourism industry struggles to compete seasonally with some other destinations. Therefore, it needs to focus on maximizing its unique advantages to enhance its attractiveness, becoming a sustainable destination and a preferred choice for high-quality, high-spending tourists who appreciate distinctive natural and cultural experiences.

Over the past period, Hoi An and several nearby destinations have become popular vacation spots for world-renowned sports and film stars. While quantity is important, the quality of tourists is the top priority that Quang Nam tourism needs to focus on, aiming towards becoming a high-end green tourism destination as outlined in the provincial plan.

As shared by a representative of the Quang Nam Tourism Association during a domestic tourism stimulus campaign while the COVID-19 pandemic was still ongoing: "Those working in Quang Nam tourism do not discriminate against any tourist market and always welcome all kind, responsible tourists, creating a sustainable trip when they come to Quang Nam."

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