 |
| Visitors experience the iMuseum VFA multimedia guide app at the Việt Nam Fine Arts Museum. Photo courtesy of VFA |
HCM CITY Digital transformation plays a pivotal role in enhancing the competitiveness of enterprises, operational efficiency and customer experience in the tourism industry, according to tourism authorities and industry insiders.
The tourism sector in HCM City is actively promoting the application of digital technology, and the development of a smart ecosystem to adapt flexibly to market fluctuations, said Lê Trương Hiền Hòa, deputy director of the city’s Department of Tourism.
Digital transformation is an inevitable trend, especially for HCM City, which boasts huge potential for MICE (Meeting, Incentive, Conference and Event) tourism and medical tourism, Hòa said at the meeting “Tourism and Entrepreneurs: Meeting – Creating – Developing” held recently by the city’s Tourism Association.
The city has been investing in a shared data system for the tourism industry to facilitate resource exploitation, build digital communities, and integrate with international platforms like Google Map and Google Earth, he said.
To date, a total of 366 destinations have been updated on the digital map, and many tourism products are available on e-commerce platforms like Shopee, Traveloka, and Klook.
During the 2024-2025 period, the department continues to promote digital solutions to enhance operational efficiency and support sustainable growth, he said.
The city’s Smart Tourism Development Plan for the 2020-2025 period outlined that the city builds a digital tourism ecosystem based on three pillars: smart destinations, utilities for tourists, and smart businesses.
Data integration, trend analysis, and demand forecasting will support authorities and businesses in policy planning, designing suitable products, and reducing risks amid constantly changing market conditions.
“As the international market’s recovery remains uneven, the ability to leverage technology, adapt flexibly to customer needs, and optimise operations is essential for local businesses to stay resilient and grow,” he said.
“Close cooperation between management agencies and the business community will help the city develop a smarter, more friendly, and more attractive tourism industry,” he added.
Many businesses have already deployed artificial intelligence (AI) for managing bookings, forecasting visitor numbers, real-time pricing adjustments, and analysing consumer behaviour, according to the city’s Tourism Association.
AI helps optimise operations and provide a more personalised experience for travelers. Besides AI, social media platforms are also being effectively used as promotional tools.
Short videos featuring destinations, travel tips, or experiences spread quickly and reach the young demographic – those increasingly choosing destinations via visual content.
Nguyễn Thị Khánh, chairwoman of the city’s Tourism Association, said that digital transformation creates a solid foundation for the sustainable development of the tourism sector.
Enterprises need to increase adoption of digital technologies to improve operational efficiency and enhance customer experience, she said.
From a business perspective, Văng Thị Mỹ Nàng, general director of Nhanh Travel, said that digital management is the process of applying technology to automate, synchronise, and optimise all operations – from personnel and customers to finances and data.
“In reality, local enterprises, especially small and medium-sized enterprises, have only partially digitised and have not achieved comprehensive integration like those in developed countries,” she said.
The major benefits of proper digital application include increased efficiency, reduced costs, faster and more accurate decision-making, she said.
She said that many enterprises face common challenges in digital transformation such as not knowing where to start, reluctance to change, and lack of decisive leadership. VNS
Read original story on Vietnam News