IN FRANCE, DA NANG TOURISM ASSOCIATION PROPOSES DEVELOPING TOURISM THROUGH SCENTS INSPIRED BY LOCAL RESOURCES

[Nice, France, June 16, 2026] – At the “Aromas and Perfumes in Tourism” seminar held in France, Mr. Nguyễn Đức Quỳnh – Vice Chairman of the Da Nang Tourism Association and Chairman of the Da Nang Hotel Association, delivered a presentation titled “Aromas and Perfumes in Vietnam Tourism: From Olfactory Heritage to Experiential Luxury.” In his presentation, he proposed a new approach to Vietnamese tourism through scents, local resources and emotional experiences.

When A Destination Is Not Only Seen, But Also Remembered

In his presentation “Aromas and Perfumes in Vietnam Tourism: From Olfactory Heritage to Experiential Luxury” at the seminar on aromas and perfumes in tourism, co-organized in France by the Danang International Institute of Technology – DNIIT, The University of Danang, Mr. Nguyễn Đức Quỳnh shared that Vietnam is not only a destination of landscapes, heritage, cuisine and hospitality, but also a space of memories shaped by scents.

“When we talk about tourism in Vietnam, we often talk about landscapes, beaches, cuisine, heritage and hospitality. But Vietnam is also remembered through scents,” Mr. Nguyễn Đức Quỳnh shared.

According to him, the scent of lotus in Hanoi tea, the aroma of agarwood in temples and pagodas, the fragrance of cinnamon and star anise in a bowl of pho, the scent of lemongrass in spa treatments, the aroma of coffee from the Central Highlands, the scent of incense in traditional craft villages, the fragrance of tropical flowers or the smell of Da Nang’s sea breeze after the rain are all olfactory impressions capable of anchoring emotions in the memories of travelers.

“A traveler may forget the name of a street in Hội An, but still remember the scent of agarwood in an ancient pagoda. A guest may not remember every detail of a hotel lobby, but still recall the scent of lemongrass in a cold towel or the gentle herbal aroma in a spa treatment. A traveler may not remember the full recipe of pho, but still remember the fragrance of cinnamon, star anise, ginger and fresh herbs rising from a steaming bowl of pho,” Mr. Quỳnh illustrated.

Da Nang Tourism Needs More Emotion-Rich Products Such As Olfactory Heritage

In recent years, Da Nang has continued to affirm its position as one of Central Vietnam’s leading tourism hubs, with impressive growth momentum. In 2025, the city welcomed more than 17.3 million staying visitors, including over 7.6 million international arrivals; revenue from accommodation, food and beverage, and travel services reached approximately VND 60,000 billion. Alongside this growth, the accommodation system has also expanded strongly, with 2,365 tourist accommodation establishments and 61,898 rooms as of August 2025; among them, 4-5-star and equivalent establishments accounted for more than 31,000 rooms.

This shows that Da Nang is entering a new phase of tourism development focused on depth and quality. The destination’s priority is no longer only about increasing visitor numbers, but also about enhancing experience quality, increasing visitor spending and creating a distinctive impression strong enough to encourage travelers to return. In this context, scent-based tourism is considered a new approach, well aligned with high-value segments such as experiential tourism, wellness, MICE and luxury resort travel.

This approach was first shared by Mr. Nguyễn Đức Quỳnh – Vice Chairman of the Da Nang Tourism Association and Chairman of the Da Nang Hotel Association, during the recent seminar. Instead of viewing scent merely as a supporting element in hotels, spas or service spaces, this direction positions scent as a form of “Olfactory Heritage.” These are scents associated with the history, culture and memories of a community. From this soft asset, tourism can develop into premium experiential products based on emotion, identity and memory. According to him, high-end travelers are not only looking for beautiful rooms or expensive products, but also stories, local identity and experiences capable of touching personal emotions.

The value of this direction does not stop at the exploitation of raw materials. It lies in the ability to design experiences, develop products and tell local stories. When developed properly, a scent can become a travel souvenir, a hotel brand signature or a personal memory of a destination. It represents a shift from resources to experiences, from ordinary products to emotional value.

Speaking at the seminar, Dr. Cao Trí Dũng, Chairman of the Da Nang Tourism Association, said that scent in tourism is a new direction that aligns with Da Nang’s strategy of developing distinctive tourism products.

“Da Nang cannot compete only through hotel rooms, beaches or infrastructure. The city needs products that can touch travelers’ emotions. Scent is a very refined approach, as it connects directly with memory, regional identity and the quality of service experiences,” Dr. Cao Trí Dũng commented.

Central Vietnam in general, and Da Nang in particular, possesses distinctive local aromatic resources that can contribute to creating a “scent map” of Vietnamese tourism. In addition to its advantages in beaches and cuisine, the region also has a rich ecosystem of local aromatic ingredients such as cinnamon, cajeput, lemongrass, ginger, basil, mint, fragrant wood and more.

Among them, Trà My Cinnamon and Hue Cajeput were highlighted by Mr. Nguyễn Đức Quỳnh as two representative ingredients that can be developed into tourism products, wellness products, spa items, cosmetics, ambient fragrances and premium gifts.

“Trà My Cinnamon is a story of mountains and forests, of community, soil and climate in Central Vietnam. Hue Cajeput is not only an essential oil. It is a memory of healthcare passed down through generations of Vietnamese people. If these ingredients are properly researched, standardized, extracted and presented through the right storytelling, they can become a foundation for scent-based tourism products with a distinct Vietnamese identity,” Mr. Quỳnh remarked.

From local ingredients, Da Nang and Central Vietnam can develop product lines such as essential oils, scented candles, ambient fragrances, room sprays, massage oils, spa products, hotel amenities, conference gifts and themed collections under the concept of “Scent of Central Vietnam”.

Opportunities For Luxury Hotels And Resorts

From the perspective of the Da Nang Hotel Association, Mr. Nguyễn Đức Quỳnh stated that the hotel sector is one of the areas where olfactory heritage products can be applied earliest and most effectively in tourism. If, at the destination level, scent can help shape tourism identity, then at the hotel level, it can become part of the brand experience, from the moment guests are welcomed to their accommodation spaces, wellness services and post-trip gifts.

Hotels, resorts, spas and wellness destinations in Da Nang can develop a “signature scent” for lobbies, guest rooms, spas, conference areas, wedding venues and other service spaces. A well-designed scent not only helps guests recognize a brand, but also extends the memory of their stay experience.

For MICE, spa and wellness tourism, scent opens up opportunities to differentiate Da Nang’s premium products and services. Gift sets such as “Memory of Danang” can combine the scent of the sea, lemongrass, cajeput and cinnamon with stories of Central Vietnam, making them suitable for conference guests, VIP guests, corporate delegations and international events. At the same time, local ingredients can also be incorporated into massage treatments, steam therapies, sleep care, energy recovery and relaxation experiences, in line with the growing trend of wellness tourism.

Additional Information

The “Aromas and Perfumes in Tourism” seminar took place on June 16, 2026 in France, in collaboration with the Danang International Institute of Technology – DNIIT, The University of Danang. The program focused on discussing the role of scents, aromas, perfumes and local resources in developing tourism products, enhancing service experiences and building destination identity.