Hanoi (VNA) – Da Nang city has made a“spectacular” leap forward in tourism development over the past decade, said Chairmanof Da Nang Tourism Association Huynh Tan Vinh.

Located between two famous destinations of the ancientimperial capital of Hue and the ancient port city of Hoi An, Da Nang used to bemerely a transit point without any outstanding attractions.

Deciding to make tourism a spearhead sector, the city hasinvested in infrastructure, adopted policies to attract investors and created its own events, such as the international fireworks festival andinternational sport tournaments.

The efforts havepaid off, with a three-fold increase in the number of visitors from 1.2 millionin 2008 to 6.6 million in 2017 and a ten-fold rise in tourism revenues, from 2trillion VND in 2008 to nearly 20 trillion VND last year.

Chairman of Da Nang Tourism Association Huynh Tan Vinh notedthat in the past decade, hotel rooms in the central city have increased 10 foldto over 28,800, with the arrival of big brands like InterContinental Danang SunPeninsula Resort, Novotel, Hyatt Regency Danang Resort and Spa, Vinpearl andPullman.  

According to deputy director of the municipal Department ofTourism Tran Chi Cuong, the municipal People’s Committee is implementing atourism development project this year with a total cost of 14.4 billion VND(629,582 USD).

The project aims to improve quality of servicesand develop various forms of tourism such as ecological tourism, villagetourism and waterway tourism, he revealed.

Statistics from the municipal Department ofTourism showed that the number of visitors to the city grew at an annualaverage rate of 20.06 percent in 2013-2017.

Over the past decade, the central coastal city has also madeit into many top-ten lists in the world.

Da Nang was named in the top 10 holiday places in Asia of theprestigious online tourism magazine Smart Travel Asia and top 10 freshdestinations of the global online accommodation reservation provider Agoda in2013.

The listing has enabled the city to reach out further to theworld, according to Amir Ahmad Mohamad, general manager of Hoang Anh Gia LaiPlaza Hotel Da Nang.

Da NangInternational Airport was ranked third among the best airports in the world in2014, according to a survey by Dragon Air.

TheInterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort won the Asia’s Leading LuxuryResort in 2014 thanks to its perfect combination of traditional beauty andmodern, luxurious standards.

The US’s Forbes Magazine selected My Khe Beachin Da Nang as one of the six most attractive beaches on the planet in 2013.

The cable line that takes visitors to the peakof Ba Na Hills at an altitude of 1,487 metres in just 17 minutes and is able tocarry 3,000 passengers per hour won four Guinness Records in 2013.

The US’sNew York Times listed Da Nang among 52 places to go in 2015.

On thelist of the world’s top 10 destinations for 2018 compiled by the onlinemarketplace and hospitality service Airbnb, Da Nang was ranked fifth in bookingsurges of up to 255 percent.

This year, the city was ranked the second most populardestination for solo or couple travellers, according to the Republic of Korea’sTicket Monster Inc.

The website said people who plan to travelabroad with family members often chose Da Nang.

The RoK is expected to surpass Chinese touristsand become the biggest group of visitors to Da Nang in the near future.

Accordingto the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, Da Nang was said to be thebest place to live in Vietnam with many world-recognised records.-VNA