Removing obstacles for tourism in Cu Lao Cham.

Tourism in Cu Lao Cham has shown signs of stagnation in recent years, and it is necessary to quickly resolve the bottlenecks in order to return to its "golden age".

Since no designated underwater recreation area has been announced, the main activity offered at Cu Lao Cham is snorkeling to view coral reefs. Photo: QUOC TUAN

The number of customers has decreased.

According to statistics from the Tan Hiep Commune People's Committee, in the first quarter of 2026, the total number of visitors to Cham Island reached over 13,700 (an average of over 150 visitors per day), with international tourists accounting for a large proportion. Although the number of visitors remained relatively stable, this figure is far below the "golden age" of Cham Island.

In 2019, Cu Lao Cham Island welcomed up to 440,000 visitors (an average of over 1,200 per day), and during peak season, the number exceeded 3,000 on many days, prompting local authorities to limit the number of visitors to the island to minimize pressure on the environment of the world biosphere reserve. Furthermore, according to locals working in tourism on the island, because most visitors come and go on the same day, arriving in the morning and returning in the early afternoon, their spending on the island is very low, mainly covered by tours organized by businesses.

According to Ms. Pham Thi My Huong, Chairwoman of the Tan Hiep Commune People's Committee, major travel agencies no longer include Cu Lao Cham in their traditional tours, leaving tourists to choose freely. In addition, legal regulations hindering tourism activities have significantly impacted tourism in Cu Lao Cham.

“For a long time, water sports services in Cu Lao Cham could not be organized because the area for underwater recreation had not been officially designated. This resulted in a very limited range of marine tourism products on the island, with only snorkeling to admire coral reefs, making it difficult to retain tourists for extended periods. Furthermore, the commune's inland waterway terminal is damaged and unusable, requiring temporary dual-purpose operation with a small capacity. A new terminal is urgently needed to meet the growing demand,” Ms. Huong said.

According to the leaders of Tan Hiep commune, another important factor making tourism in Cu Lao Cham unstable is the weather. Since 2022, there has been a specialized weather forecast for Cu Lao Cham, but in reality, the data is quite general and often differs from reality due to a lack of resources and funding. The Cua Dai - Cu Lao Cham inland waterway has been frequently silted up in recent times. Recently, the city opened the Son Tra - Cu Lao Cham route; if this route is promoted soon, it will help increase the number of tourists and at the same time address the needs of the local people in urgent situations.

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Tan Hiep island commune has great potential for tourism development but faces many obstacles regarding infrastructure and tour routes. Photo: QUOC TUAN

A solution is needed soon.

According to Ms. Truong Thi Hong Hanh, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, the city needs to use a special, priority mechanism in a dual-use manner to urgently implement the construction of the two Cua Dai - Cu Lao Cham wharves to serve both the public, tourism and national defense.

“In the coming time, the department will conduct a survey of tourist attractions in Tan Hiep to develop tours and experiences linked to local characteristics. Once the infrastructure is in place, the department will approach potential investors and strongly promote tourism in Cu Lao Cham. Currently, several investors have expressed interest in participating in developing tourism routes to Cu Lao Cham,” Ms. Hanh shared.

During a recent meeting with local authorities, Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee Nguyen Thi Anh Thi instructed relevant agencies to urgently guide and resolve obstacles related to the announcement of areas for water-based recreational activities; based on that, coordinate with local authorities to complete the necessary procedures, ensuring that all conditions for organizing activities are met according to regulations, and complete this before June 30, 2026.

Regarding infrastructure and transportation connections for tourism, the city's People's Committee leaders assigned the Department of Construction to take the lead in promptly proposing solutions for organizing the Cua Dai - Cu Lao Cham waterway transport route, ensuring safety and stability, especially in adverse weather conditions.

At the same time, promptly review and determine the location and scale of investment for an inland waterway port at Cu Lao Cham and the conditions for receiving vessels; in 2026, advise the City People's Committee to consider and decide on the investment policy, ensuring it is consistent with the planning and budget balance.

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According to Mr. Le Quang Hieu, Deputy Director of the Department of Construction, the department recently approved several water-based recreational activities in Hoi An Tay and Hoi An Dong wards. However, for Tan Hiep island commune, the local authorities need to consider using a public service unit as the agency to which the State allocates land and water surface.

Then, the public service unit will manage and lease the land to other units and businesses, thus avoiding the procedures for selecting investors. "The Cu Lao Cham sea area is very large; if it were handed over entirely to one investor, there would be a risk of impacting the overall operational needs of the business community and local people," Mr. Hieu said.

Source: https://baodanang.vn/go-kho-cho-du-lich-cu-lao-cham-3334187.html