Sun Group putting Ba Na Hills on global tourism map

Le Quang Tung, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism, is upbeat about the global prospects of Ba Na Hills

Over the past decade, Vietnam and Danang have made great strides in tourism, with the rise of large private firms like Sun Group. How do you see the role of Sun Group in the development of Vietnam’s tourism sector?

Since its inception in Vietnam in 2007, Sun Group has been focusing investment on the tourism sector for 10 years, step-by-step cementing its leading role in developing Vietnam's major tourism projects.

The group's investments have turned around Vietnam’s tourism sector by erecting world-class entertainment zones. Ba Na Hills is one of the most successful entertainment projects developed by Sun Group in Danang, attracting a growing number of local and foreign tourists. Other famous projects include Sun World Halong Complex in Quang Ninh’s Halong city and Fansipan Legend in Lao Cai’s Sapa.

In addition, Sun Group has invested in several luxury hotel and resort chains across Vietnam, with international-award winning resorts like JW Marriott Phu Quoc Emerald Bay in Phu Quoc and InterContinental Danang Sun Peninsula Resort in Danang. These projects not only become landmarks for Vietnam, but also improved the quality of the tourism industry. We hope that Sun Group's luxury hotel and resort chains will continue to elevate Vietnam’s tourism industry in the future, too.

Ba Na Hills is the first project by Sun Group in Vietnam. Have you visited Ba Na Hills and how do you feel about the place?

I was very fortunate to visit Ba Na Hills in 2008, when Danang also adopted a resolution to develop tourism and attract investors to the industry. At the time, Danang mainly focused on industrial development and the city was only starting to pay attention to tourism. Sun Group was one of the early investors in the city. I was very surprised when the group chose Ba Na Hills instead of other beachfront destinations for investment. The location was also quite far from the city. However, I realised that Sun Group had a long-term strategic vision focused on driving the tourism business of both the group and the city.

After 10 years, Danang has recorded surging tourist arrivals. The number of arrivals to Danang increased from 1.2 million in 2008 to 6.6 million in 2018. Total stock from hotels rose from 2,000 to 20,000 within the given period, which is an incredibly impressive figure. A slew of other tourism products have also been rolled out into the market.

When traveling to a place, tourists not only admire the scenery but also enjoy services. Over the past decade, Ba Na Hills has made significant contribution to the growth of tourist arrivals and the development of the tourism sector in Vietnam and Danang alike. It is clear that Sun Group not only exploits the potential of Ba Na Hills, but also creates a unique selling point for the destinations to attract more tourists to the city. The products invested by Sun Group have left a lasting impression on tourists.

In 2018, the Golden Bridge built by Sun Group made a big splash in Vietnam and became famous around the world. The popularity of the Golden Bridge has spurred tourism growth in the city, making Danang one of the world’s 10 most intriguing travel destinations in recent times.

The Golden Bridge has become the most prominent tourist destination in Ba Na Hills

Tourists now appreciate Ba Na Hills for its architecture, services, as well as culture – and I can’t say I don’t agree. I have visited and studied the products in Ba Na Hills. Each product is carefully researched and designed to promote cultural and artistic values. This is quite important to tourists as they often flock to unique attractions. It can be said that Ba Na Hills is on par with Disneyland in Tokyo and other world-famous entertainment zones. I am very satisfied with the achievements of Ba Na Hills.

What role do you think Ba Na Hills has in the Vietnamese tourism industry? What chances do you think there are in the international arena?

I think Ba Na Hills has a solid position in Vietnam's tourism map. With constant investment and innovation, Sun Group has developed a new strategy for Ba Na Hills. The group will launch new products to attract more tourists to the place. We believe that Danang, along with Ba Na Hills, has its own values and will continue to cement its position in the country's tourism map.

The group’s international goals arefeasible because of Sun Group’s strong determination and comprehensive vision. The group is ramping up efforts to build other resorts, entertainment zones, services, and activities in the locality. This, combined with new developments, will elevate Ba Na Hills and Danang to a new position in global tourism.

We expect further development of large-scale entertainment zones like Ba Na Hills where major investors like Sun Group will take the lead and give wings to the tourism sector. This will help fulfil the targets of the Political Bureau's Resolution 8 on developing theVietnamese tourism into a spearhead economic sector.

Sun Group has developed many exciting activities to attract tourists to Ba Na Hills

Ba Na Hills is on par with Disneyland in Tokyo

Sun Group has made an active contribution to Danang's tourism sector, making the city one of the world’s top 10 intriguing travel destinations