ĐÀ NẴNG — Hospitality businesses should accelerate digital transformation and the application of new technologies to shape the future of tourism, according to a leading tourism group in the central city.

The changes will shape the future of the tourism and meet the global trends of customers’ needs during the booming of AI and digital era said Chairman of the Đà Nẵng Hotel Association, Nguyễn Đức Quỳnh.

He was speaking at the first ever Exhibition & Forum on Technology, Innovation in the Hospitality Industry, HORECFEX, Việt Nam 2024.

Quỳnh, who is founder of HORECFEX, emphasised that AI and digital technologies would help travel businesses explore behaviours and hobbies of customers and their changing attitudes in choosing global favourite destinations and services.

"The global digital economy has significantly reshaped many aspects of the current business environment including in the tourism sector. Hospitality enterprises have to look at the trend of digital transformation as a strategic move in meeting the evolvement of travellers, while restructuring the management effectively,” Quỳnh said.

He said HORECFEX Việt Nam is not only a rendezvous for tech industries, but a vital forum for hotel, restaurant and culinary service businesses to look at hi-tech solutions in management and sustainable development.

The chairman of the Đà Nẵng Hotel Association told the conference that Furama Resort in Đà Nẵng now has a robot, Miss Ariyana, the first of its kind in central Việt Nam, to provide services at the resort, while AI applications are available at check-in for tourists.

Co-founder and CEO of the Outbox company, Phước Đặng, a travel insights intelligence company surveying the Asia market, said local travel agencies should key an eye on mega trends that help shape future tourism.

He said the Việt Nam tourism industry has completely recovered since COVID-19, taking a 11.5 per cent share in the Southeast Asia region and now ranks third in the region after Thailand and Malaysia.

However, he warned that the country’s tourism growth with 50 per cent contribution from Chinese and Korean tourists would be risky.

Meanwhile, domestic travellers, which accounted for 88 per cent of total tourist numbers in the first half of 2024, would be joined by visitors from North America, the US, Europe, Thailand, Malaysia and Taiwan, Đặng speculated.

“Tourism has seen as one of top priorities after COVID-19 with 60 per cent of global interested in travel. Nature and the outdoors, trips closer to home and visitors crafting their own trips have become major trends,” he shared.

He suggested local travel agencies should get to know customers and recognise younger generations, as well as embracing a data-driven strategy and transforming into new markets.

General director of Indochina Unique Tourist company, Nguyễn Sơn Thuỷ, said visa policy has still seen as a big barrier in boosting growth of inbound services.

He said visa-free travel had helped promote international arrivals in Phú Quốc Islands where Korean, Malaysian and Taiwan visitors turned to smooth visa service.

Director of budget carrier VietJetAir in central Việt Nam, Trần Hoàng Linh, said four coastal destinations – Thừa Thiên Huế, Đà Nẵng, Quảng Nam and Nha Trang – are showing great potential with three international airports.

He said launching more new direct flights is based on the stable growth of inbound services and the budget airline will soon open air routes connecting Đà Nẵng with India and Nha Trang-Daegu, Korea later this year, while a Phú Quốc-Đà Nẵng route is in the planning stage.

Healthcare tourism has emerged as a new service in central Việt Nam as hospitals and travel agencies are boosting cooperations for dual benefit.

Doctor Lê Thị Minh Thuý, from Public Security Ministry’s Hospital No 199 in Đà Nẵng City, said the hospital was the first health care unit in central Việt Nam to launch medical tourism services.

The hospital often receives 50 arrivals of foreign travellers and expats per month.

“We proudly could provide hi-tech examinations, treatment and surgeries with a lower cost for travellers. The hospital is looking at providing health care services for 10,000 expats living in Việt Nam with different demands,” Thuý said.

“The hospital has inked a cooperation with Vietravel in launching services for foreign tourists, combining vacations in beach destinations in central Việt Nam. We were selected as a medical service provider at international sports events – Ironman 70.3 Việt Nam and the Đà Nẵng International Marathon - as well as tourism conferences and forums,” she said. VNS