ĐÀ NẴNG — Đà Nẵng will allocate a large budget to develop a digital tourism model on Cù Lao Chàm Island, in a bid to improve management efficiency and tourist services.  

The central city People's Committee has issued Decision 4524/QĐ-UBND approving an investment project in which VNĐ7.7 billion (US$296,000) will be used for various applications, including AI cameras, AI virtual assistants, e-tickets, digital maps, and real-time data. 

The project will be carried out over the 2026-2027 period in Cù Lao Chàm in Tân Hiệp Ward. It will include ticket booths in the Cửa Đại area, and the new system will be used by the Management Board of the Cù Lao Chàm Nature Reserve.

Under the initiative, an end-to-end digital tourism ecosystem will be developed, combining smart ticketing, crowd flow optimisation and destination management into a single control centre equipped with real-time monitoring and automated alerts.

Đà Nẵng will also deploy 15 AI-powered cameras paired with an integrated analytics system to monitor, analyse and alert authorities to visitor density across key areas. The aim is to assist management agencies in monitoring destination conditions, tracking visitor volumes and maintaining environmental carrying capacities, safeguarding natural resources while elevating service quality.

Driven by a centralised database, AI virtual assistants, digital mapping, e-ticketing and an operational dashboard, the system automates real-time monitoring and proactive alerts. This integration accelerates the shift from manual, fragmented operations to data-driven digital governance.

Beyond operations, the project leverages digital technology to showcase destination value, creating VR360 virtual tours for 19 key sites and an aerial panoramic experience of Cù Lao Chàm.

Designed for seamless interoperability, the system integrates with existing city platforms and specialised databases, including Cù Lao Chàm’s biodiversity and environmental records, digital heritage inventories and municipal tourism maps via standard data-sharing platforms.

These efforts are expected not only to help establish a unified information system and support destination management, but also to provide more intuitive and convenient information for travellers, both before and during their journeys.

Tourism in Cù Lao Chàm is expected to shift to data-driven management, strengthening real-time monitoring and early warning capabilities. This establishes the foundation for a 'Smart Ecotourism, Smart Management and Smart Conservation' model, aligning technological innovation with resource protection and sustainable growth.  — VNS