Businesses has key role to play in digital transformation in tourism

Hanoi (VNA) – The success of digital transformation in the tourism industry largely depends on businesses, where this process takes place. In Vietnam, some companies have managed to carry out digital transformation, giving an impulse to other firms to take action.

Today’s tourism activities focus more on travellers through data digitalisation, which includes collecting data about products, customers, and locations; digitalising data and using digital technology to analyse customers and business activities; and turning the acquired information into action.

Prof. Doan Thi Hong Van from the international business - marketing faculty at the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City said digital transformation in the local tourism industry began in the early 21st century, when the National Administration of Tourism cooperated with Vntrip.vn, the biggest hotel booking website and app system in Vietnam, to develop a 360-degree photo app for tourism.

Given the importance of digital transformation in fueling tourism recovery, a mobile app named “Du lich Viet Nam an toan” (Travel Vietnam safely) was recently launched. The app, combing online tourism, e-payment, and health declaration, targets more than 43 million smartphone users, assisting them to seek safe destinations, introducing tourist attractions, and helping with travel demand stimulation.

Vu Van Tuyen, CEO of Travelogy Vietnam, said his company has conducted digital transformation since the beginning of 2020, two weeks after the COVID-19 pandemic broke out, which forced social distancing, working from home, and connecting with customers via the internet. As it had studied digital transformation and made plans in advance, the firm did not encounter too many difficulties in this process.

Thanks to digital transformation, Travelogy has accessed more customers, improved customer service, cut down expenses, and increased business efficiency, he noted, adding that it has also developed software named TravelMaster that includes all the necessary information about customers so as to minimise data input mistakes.

Chairman of HG Holding Ngo Minh Duc said his company began digital transformation five years ago, when only few Vietnamese enterprises embarked on this process. In 2020, when COVID-19 spread and became complex, it kept focusing on technology to boost digital transformation.

Experience showed that there are four important things in digital transformation and digital technology application: developing platform products,  creating a cyber ecosystem for the community, authorities’ policies for protecting users, and a good communication campaign to encourage all Vietnamese to prioritise using the country’s products, according to Duc./.