Elevating tourism in Khanh Hoa

Khanh Hoa's tourism industry is increasingly attracting both domestic and international tourists. This sector is not only growing in "quantity" but also developing in "quality," with revenue growth exceeding visitor numbers. However, to achieve sustainable development and become a pillar driving double-digit economic growth, Khanh Hoa's tourism sector still needs upgrades in infrastructure and smart management.

Shift from "quantity" to "quality"

During the recent Lunar New Year (Year of the Horse), Khanh Hoa attracted a large number of tourists. For the first time since the Covid-19 pandemic, hotels in the province charged a surcharge for the holiday, with room rates increasing significantly, but tourists were still willing to pay. 3- to 5-star hotels reached 100% occupancy from the 3rd to the 5th day of Tet. "For the first time in many years, Khanh Hoa's tourism industry experienced a 'room shortage,' with many regular customers calling to ask for help finding rooms, but the company couldn't assist," said Ms. Nguyen Thi Kim Chi, Director of An Lam Tourism Co., Ltd.

Tourists dance along with the performers while having fun at VinWonders Nha Trang.

According to a report by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, during the Lunar New Year of the Year of the Horse, the province welcomed 320,000 overnight visitors, an increase of nearly 12.3% compared to the same period last year. This included: 120,000 international visitors, an increase of over 23%; and 200,000 domestic visitors, an increase of nearly 6.7%. Total tourism revenue is estimated at 2,200 billion VND, an increase of over 62.2%. Notably, the revenue growth was significantly higher than the visitor growth, indicating that the average spending per tourist is steadily increasing. Explaining this, Mr. Cung Quynh Anh, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that in recent years, Khanh Hoa tourism has invested heavily in high-quality accommodation facilities and entertainment products. Vinpearl Nha Trang launched the "Essence of a Hundred Arts" show, featuring modern lighting technology combined with traditional art; The theater presented the colorful "Chum Show"; the traditional craft village of Nha Trang organized the "Traditional Tet Festival"… Therefore, tourists visiting Khanh Hoa spent more on their trip.

The figures above reflect a strong recovery in tourism. This also presents an opportunity for the tourism industry to restructure towards greater quality and sustainability.

We need to move towards smart governance.

The Lunar New Year of the Year of the Horse (2016) was a golden season for tourism. However, behind the impressive numbers, there are still things to ponder: traffic congestion on Tran Phu Street during peak days; overcrowding at Nha Trang Tourist Wharf… While the record numbers during Tet are a positive sign, they are not the ultimate goal. True success will be measured by the quality of the experience, tourist satisfaction, and long-term development potential. "The mindset of chasing record numbers has existed for many years. Modern tourism is not measured by the sheer number of people, but by the value created by each tourist: spending level, length of stay, satisfaction level, and likelihood of returning," shared Dr. Pham Ha, Chairman of LUX Group.

From this perspective, while Khánh Hòa's tourism sector has improved compared to the past, there is still much work to be done. During the development of the Khánh Hòa Provincial Tourism Development Strategy for the period 2026-2030, with a vision to 2045, experts from Simon Kucher Company (Dubai, UAE) pointed out several limitations: Infrastructure connecting the northern and southern regions of the province is not yet synchronized; the distribution of tourism space is uneven; many products and services are repetitive, lacking differentiation and depth. In particular, products that help extend the length of stay and increase spending are very limited; there is a lack of large-scale shopping centers and nighttime economic activities; and night markets are small-scale and inefficient. According to tourism experts, Khanh Hoa's nighttime services mainly focus on food and beverage, with few cultural and artistic activities. Most establishments close at 11 PM or midnight, which is too early for the needs of tourists, especially international visitors. Addressing this issue, Mr. Lovrenc Kessler, an expert from Simon Kucher Company, emphasized: "Khanh Hoa's tourism must develop in a modern, sustainable, professional, and high-quality direction, with beach and island tourism as the main focus; developing diverse types of resorts, entertainment, health care, cultural and spiritual tourism, ecotourism, and MICE tourism (a type of tourism combining tourism with events, conferences, etc.); while ensuring consistency in identity and branding."

In the long term, Khanh Hoa tourism needs to ask more practical questions: What is the maximum carrying capacity of the destination? How can we distribute tourists by time slot and route instead of concentrating them all at once? How can we develop more products and satellite destinations to ease pressure on the Nha Trang area? And most importantly, what about the quality of tourism services? How can we ensure that each tourist feels that their time and money spent on tourism in Khanh Hoa is worthwhile? The answer lies in applying technology and smart management: a timed ticketing system, limiting the number of boat trips within a given tour period, real-time traffic alerts, and applying green standards in tourism operations. "High tourist numbers may be the start, but only smart management and quality service will determine the future and sustainable development," emphasized Dr. Pham Ha.

XUAN THANH

Source: https://baokhanhhoa.vn/du-lich/202602/nang-tam-du-lich-khanh-hoa-f147dec/