The Ariyana Convention Centre is now the largest multifunctional convention centre in Vietnam.
Danang is setting out to become Vietnam’s smart city — with a little help from its friends in the hospitality industry. Over recent years, the city has grown socially and economically thanks to the application of modern technologies in transportation and healthcare services, along with construction, education and environmental protection. Now it’s time for the city’s hotels and resorts to play catch-up.
Nguyen Duc Quynh, deputy general director of Furama Resort Danang — the first large resort on the central coast — said, “Furama opened in 1997 and, like other new resorts, we have witnessed huge changes in technology through time. “It will be tough for us to catch up, but it is not a barrier, it is a huge opportunity to approach and provide guests with new products, new services and, of course, new tools for us to do business.” One business where the Furama Danang is excelling is the meetings and events sector.
According to Quynh, in the past two years, Furama Danang has received countless requests from travel agencies and corporate customers to organise large-scale events for up to 1,000 guests. The resort management responded recently with a Shanghai Roadshow — extended to Hong Kong, Singapore and Ho Chi Minh City — to promote destination Danang and showcase the Ariyana Convention Centre (ACC), Furama Resort, Furama Villas and the Furama Danang International Convention Palace (ICP). Under the theme of “The A Club — Ageless Amazement”, many key business partners, corporate travel agencies, as well as international event planning companies had the opportunity to witness not only the development of Danang city but also the whole Ariyana Tourism Complex, including Furama Resort Danang, Furama Villas Danang and ACC.
“Furama Danang has received countless requests from travel agencies and corporate customers to organise large-scale events for up to 1,000 guests.” – Nguyen Duc quynh, Deputy General Director, Furama Resort Danang
Quynh added that tourism promotion of Danang had been carried out previously “without a properly specific focus”. Although the city attracted a considerable number of Chinese and Korean tourists, and boasts great potential for MICE tourism, there had not been enough focus on the existing meeting facilities Danang has to offer, Quynh said.
The ACC — Danang’s first and only oceanfront convention and exhibition centre — is now the largest multifunctional convention centre in Vietnam. It covers an area of 12,000 square metres, and is connected with the Furama Danang ICP. There is room to seat 5,000 in the complex, supported by 15 function rooms and a pillarless Grand Ballroom offering 2,500 seats. Officially opened in mid-October 2017 and owned by Sovico Holdings, the ACC is part of Ariyana Danang Tourism Complex, which includes the 1,400-key Ariyana Beach Resort & Suites Danang, which will open in late 2019 alongside the existing Furama Resort with 198 rooms, and the Furama Villas with 131 two- to four-bedroom villas.
Danang expects to attract 7.47 million visitors in 2018, a year-on-year increase of 13.9%. Director of Da Nang Tourism Department, Ngo Quang Vinh, said Danang had experienced “extraordinary development” since 2008. As of June 2018, Danang has welcomed 24 international airlines, operating 15 direct flights to and from overseas destinations, the latest of them Qatar Airways, which will launch four-times weekly direct flights from Doha in December. And from the end of October, Vietnam Airlines will operate its new seven times weekly flight between Danang and Osaka. This is the 11th route opened by Vietnam Airlines that connects Vietnam and Japan, following services between Hanoi/ Ho Chi Minh City/Danang and Tokyo/ Osaka/ Nagoya/Fukuoka. Vietnam Airlines is currently the largest carrier on the direct route between Vietnam and Japan with an average of 70 flights a week.
By Ian Jarrett
Source: Travel Weekly Asia