Tourists visit the Western Quarter and use tailoring services. Photo: HOANG HAI

Adding motivation for travel.

Hearing that AEON MALL Hue was organizing an art program featuring singers Thuy Chi and Anh Tu (on August 23rd), young couple Thai Minh and Thanh Truc (from Quang Ngai province) shortened their trip to Da Nang to meet their idols in Hue. They planned a day and a night in Hue to experience many activities. “This trip to Hue allowed us to enjoy sightseeing, shopping, and local cuisine . Especially, combining it with a singer's performance made it much more interesting and exciting,” Thai Minh shared.

Recently, AEON MALL Hue has hosted numerous music nights and art programs. This is considered part of a strategic partnership aimed at attracting visitors to AEON MALL Hue and promoting tourism. According to representatives from AEON MALL Hue, the planned partnerships include: cultural shows combined with food, entertainment, and shopping services; a free shuttle bus service for visitors from hotels/attractions to the mall; multi-faceted advertising and promotion between the mall and travel agencies, hotels, and restaurants; and the organization of a large-scale "travel fair" at the mall.

The combination of tourism, shopping, and art appreciation is opening up opportunities to address the "bottlenecks" of Hue tourism. Shopping has long been considered a complementary element that enhances the tourist experience. As living standards rise, the demand for shopping increases, and this has become a more influential factor in tourists' travel decisions. Furthermore, the current trend among tourists – especially young people – is a strong preference for art programs featuring their favorite artists. Therefore, the combination of tourism, shopping, and art appreciation further encourages visitors to come to Hue and encourages them to stay longer.

In Hue, tourism combined with shopping has been around for quite some time. Tourists have a desire to visit and shop at traditional markets, especially Dong Ba Market. However, generally speaking, these local markets still struggle to create a truly attractive experience for tourists, making it difficult for tour operators to develop well-organized and professional tours. Meanwhile, Hue previously lacked high-end shopping malls that could attract tourists. Hue also hasn't regularly featured art programs that attract popular young singers.

A good collaboration between travel agencies and shopping malls will help businesses and tourists proactively plan their itineraries. This not only meets the shopping and entertainment needs of tourists but also reduces the worry of waiting at the airport; provides flexibility in case of flight delays; and allows for schedule changes in heavy rain. In particular, the inclusion of artistic programs will liven up the tour itinerary or at least provide tourists with interesting entertainment options during their free time.

A large crowd of locals and tourists flocked to AEON MALL Hue to watch the music performance by singer Anh Tu.

Tours and routes need to be established soon.

Shopping and art performances are excellent opportunities to attract tourists. However, for long-term development and mutual benefit, attracting independent travelers is not enough; it requires the development of tour packages and routes, fostering collaboration between travel agencies, tourism businesses, and shopping centers, aiming for a win-win partnership.

Recently, the Department of Tourism has organized activities for travel businesses to survey and research the development of suitable tourism products. However, forming tours and routes, and incorporating the shopping mall into tour programs, still depends on many factors. Ms. Duong Thi Cong Ly, Vice President and Head of the Product Committee of the Hue City Travel Association, stated that travel businesses hope to soon discuss policies and cooperation mechanisms with AEON MALL Hue to develop tour products and routes.

Experience from tours and travel itineraries in other countries shows that incorporating shopping, art appreciation, and entertainment experiences at shopping malls into tour programs is very common. There are many ways to link and cooperate between tourism and commercial businesses, including partnering with shopping malls to include food and beverage services in tours. Tourists can be offered tickets or vouchers. Guests can freely choose food and shopping options within the same area, allowing for better control over their itinerary and saving time.

The infrastructure for shopping and performing arts tourism is already in place. However, long-term cooperation between parties is essential, supported by specific commitments and appropriate incentive and stimulus policies. Based on the plans and directions of shopping centers, travel agencies, and hotels, attractive tourism products should be developed to provide positive experiences for tourists and increase their spending in Hue.

Text and photos: HUU PHUC

Source: https://huengaynay.vn/du-lich/giu-chan-du-khach-157903.html