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| Travel Association and other businesses surveying at Aeon Mall Hue to build shopping into a tourism product |
Opportunities for shopping tourism
At Aeon Mall Hue, we encountered many out-of-town visitors and foreign tourists, especially around noon and the evening. Ms. Duong Nguyen Xuan Anh coming from Ha Tinh province shared: “While waiting for check-in to my hotel, I came to Aeon Mall to go shopping. Having a large shopping center is great, we can visit attractions all day long and return to it in the evening to have fun and go shopping”.
For a long time, shopping has been considered a supplemental element that contributes to diversifying travel experiences for tourists. Especially, one of their hobbies and habits is buying local specialties as gifts. When the living standard improves, the demand for shopping grows, and it has become one of the increasingly influential factors in tourists’ travel decisions. Consequently, in recent years, the concept of “shopping tourism” has been widely discussed.
Ms. Duong Thi Cong Ly, Vice President of the Provincial Travel Association, stated that during international trips, travel agencies often incorporate visits to shopping centers, as these are experiences in high demand. This is also a significant opportunity to generate revenue for destinations. In reality, the opening of Aeon Mall is a major opportunity for tourism in Hue, as there is substantial demand among domestic and Asian tourists for shopping and entertainment, which can extend their stay. “Aeon Mall Hue is the largest shopping center in Central Vietnam. Given the high demand, it has the potential to attract visitors from various provinces and cities across the central region”, analyzed Ms. Ly.
In Hue, the combination of tourism and shopping has begun to take shape. Visitors are interested in sightseeing and shopping at traditional markets, particularly at Dong Ba Market. However, overall, local markets still struggle to genuinely attract tourists and make it challenging for travel agencies to create well-organized, professional tours. Previously, Hue lacked upscale shopping centers capable of drawing tourists.
According to tourism experts, shopping tourism is a segment focused on providing shopping products and services for travelers. Besides seeking local specialties, souvenirs, clothing, jewelry, and cosmetics, tourists also look for other items through models like duty-free stores, outlet centers, and special discounts for tourist groups.
Director of the Department of Tourism, Nguyen Van Phuc believes that tourist spending is one of the key contributors to the tourism revenue of destinations. For shopping tourism, tourist spending is especially crucial, as it is often a primary motivation for their trips. Along with traditional markets, the establishment of large shopping centers like Aeon Mall Hue will help diversify the shopping experience, encouraging tourists to spend during their travels, which brings significant benefits to revenue growth for the destination.
Researching the integration of shopping tourism into tour itineraries
According to the Vice Chairman of the Provincial Travel Association Ms. Duong Thi Cong Ly, shopping centers in many countries, including South Korea, Japan, and others, have policies toward tourism, particularly for tourists and travel businesses. This encourages tourists to shop and spend on travel activities, while also motivating businesses to bring visitors to shopping centers, with the ultimate goal of creating the best experiences for travelers.
Referring to international models, there are many ways to foster connections and cooperation between tourism and commercial businesses, including partnerships with shopping centers to incorporate dining services into tours. Ms. Ly suggests: “Tours could include meal vouchers for tourists to use at the shopping center instead of a restaurant. For example, each voucher could be worth 200,000 VND. Guests can pay the difference if they exceed the amount or receive a refund if they spend less. The advantage of this model is that guests can choose their food according to their preferences; they can eat and shop in one location, allowing for flexible scheduling and saving time.”
A representative of the Provincial Travel Association stated that combining tourism with shopping will help both businesses and tourists plan their schedules more proactively. Typically, guests have to check out by noon but may not being on board until 3 - 4 p.m. Taking guests to a shopping center can alleviate the stress of waiting for their flight, provide flexibility in case of delays, and offer an adaptable itinerary during heavy rain or other weather conditions.
According to travel agencies, shopping at Aeon Mall Hue will certainly be included in tours in the near future. However, to ensure sustainable and effective long-term development, close cooperation is essential, in which the Travel Association and companies have to exchange ideas, provide feedback, and discuss strategic collaboration with the shopping center. There are various ways to partner, such as encouraging brands to offer discount vouchers for group visitors, implementing promotions for large purchases, and creating incentive policies for travel companies that bring guests to the mall.
Through collaboration, travel companies, shopping centers, brands, and retail outlets can work together to address challenges, with the long-term goal of creating win-win partnerships that contribute to the growth of the tourism industry.