At a tourism development workshop on the afternoon of November 11, experts, officials and businesses proposed leveraging the city's heritage, diverse landscapes and regional links to attract visitors throughout the year.
Harnessing rivers, coastline and heritage
Director of the Haiphong Institute of Applied Sciences and Development, Duong Duc Hung, said the city had a diverse geographical landscape, encompassing forests, beaches, hills, mountains, historic rivers and heritage archipelagos.
These assets provide a foundation for Haiphong to establish its own tourism identity rather than relying primarily on beach holidays during the summer.
Nguyen Minh Hung, vice-chair of the Haiphong People's Committee, speaks at the conference (Photo: H.Phu).
"Under the city's development strategy, Cat Ba is being positioned as a global green and premium destination, while Do Son aims to become a northern hub for entertainment and the night-time economy," Hung said. "The historic city centre will focus on heritage tourism, night-time activities and the creative economy."
Haiphong is also home to several heritage sites recognised by Unesco, including Ha Long Bay-Cat Ba Archipelago and the Yen Tu-Vinh Nghiem-Con Son, Kiep Bac complex of monuments and landscapes.
Ha Van Sieu, deputy director of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, said successful destinations often built their brands around heritage. For Haiphong, local culture and community life were also important resources for creating distinctive tourism products.
He said heritage tourism could become a flagship product for the city, urging businesses to draw on local culture and the authentic values of heritage sites when developing tours and itineraries.
Tran Van Ngoc, deputy director of Haiphong's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the city's tourism industry had traditionally been associated with summer holidays and beach activities. Following the administrative merger, however, Haiphong had gained greater scope to diversify its tourism offerings throughout the year.
"We have coastal and island tourism in summer, while autumn, winter and spring offer opportunities to develop spiritual tourism and experiential activities," he said.
Ngoc said the city was implementing four tourism development projects while preparing plans for its heritage-based and night-time economies, with the aim of establishing the Amazing Haiphong brand.
Nguyen Thanh Loc, head of Vietnam Airlines' Haiphong branch, said Cat Bi International Airport was expected to handle approximately 2.7 million passengers this year.
To stimulate demand during the low season, the airline was willing to work with partners to develop discounted packages combining air tickets and hotel accommodation.
Loc also called on the city to improve service quality throughout the tourism supply chain, including transport providers, restaurants, boats and local communities.
Haiphong could also promote the Do Son Buffalo Fighting Festival and the Red Flamboyant Festival as distinctive tourism experiences, he said. Such attractions would help encourage longer stays and draw visitors during quieter months.