Developing “Rain and Storm” Tourism Products

A group of young scientists from Union for Sustainable Tourism Development (STDe) chaired by Dr Nguyen Thu Hanh has studied and launched a project named "Developing tourism products from rains, storms and floods in the central Vietnam” to help boost the tourism development in the context of the region’s unfavourable weather conditions. Based on different kinds of severe weather conditions such as rains in Hue, storms in Danang and floods in Hoi An, the scientists had an ideal to develop unique tourism products.

 

A lot of types of arts can be designed to become special tourism products when they are performed while it is raining in Hue City. Enjoying Hue royal tea, playing or listening to music, admiring the rain, meditating, enjoying Hue meals and making souvenirs in rainy days all could be special tourism products. As for Hoi An, tourists will have the chance to admire the general panorama of the ancient town’s roofs when flood waters rise, travel on boats to every corner of the town to take pictures and discover the life of local residents during floods, or go to cafes which are located on second floors of houses in order to enjoy different types of arts from the rain. Meanwhile, the young scientists have suggested building a “storm park” in Danang City. Adventure traveling and disaster tourism will be the two special types of tourism for Danang City when the storm city is built and put into operation.

 

Indoor activities such as showing 3D films, building visual models and creating contexts of storm and thunderbolt and other natural phenomenon to express people’s willingness to the nature as well as outdoor ones (to be carried out in storms of level 7), including sailing in storms and rescue, are expected to attract visitors who are interested in adventures.

 

The project is considered as a new exploration of unique tourism products. “Tourism services will affirm a flexible natural lifestyle of people in coastal central region. They will raise tourists’ knowledge of tangible and intangible cultural products of tourism cities,” Nguyen Thu Hanh shared.

 

Both state agencies and tourism firms highly appreciate the creative idea and say that the project’s feasibility will be a new development way for tourism products in the harsh weather condition in the central region.

 

“Many visitors to Hoi An in the rainy season have found adventurous tours by themselves. Therefore, if the project ensures safety for tourists, it will be feasible. The central region, including Quang Nam Province, has stormy and rainy months which fall on tourism season of international visitors, particularly European residents. Hoi An is among localities in Vietnam receiving these travellers the most. Therefore, the project should be studied carefully, but paying special attention to visitors’ safety,” he added.

 

Le Huu Minh, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Thua Thien-Hue Province, said "Rains are seen as a distinguished feature of Hue City. Along with heritages and food, rains are part of factors to make Hue’s tourism brand. The city’s leaders expect the project will be carried out.”

 

 Despite being a good ideal showing a new tourism development way, safety for tourists is still considered a weakness of Vietnam. Dinh Thi Thu Thuy, Head of Hoi An Tourism and Trade Department, said the project needs more investments in infrastructure such as boats, rescue means, water, electricity, food and human resources for storm, rain and food tourism services. In short, a strict roadmap as well as closed cooperation among agencies is required for the application of the project.

 

Truong Van Bay, Vice Chairman of the Hoi An People’s Committee, also supports the project, saying that, “In reality, tourists still take part in tourism activities during storms and floods. If the project is put into use, this tourism service will fully develop its strength, but requiring great attention to visitors’ safety.”