(VOVWORLD) - As in other parts of Vietnam, Khanh Hoa province’s tourism sector is accelerating digital transformation to offer visitors “smart vacations.” The central province has quickly embraced the trend to adapt to market changes and improve the tourist experience.
 Visitors on a sightseeing tour of Nha Trang’s islands (Photo: Thai Binh/ VOV) |
At the Vinpearl Nha Trang resort, a pioneer of the “smart tourism” model, digital solutions are being implemented. The VinWonders application and a digital culinary map on Hon Tre island allow visitors to create a schedule, anticipate the wait times at games, navigate using a digital map, book services, make digital payments, and personalize their visit on their mobile device.
Smart cameras and facial recognition technology at ticket gates and games and accommodation areas ensure smoother crowd management and optimized operations. Vinpearl has also integrated AI and big data into business operations, marketing, accommodation management, and customer behavior analysis.
Annova Hotel in Nha Trang, with 470 rooms, provides another example of digital transformation. By leveraging social media, online surveys, and digital sales channels, the hotel reaches the right customer segments, tailors services, gathers real-time feedback, and uses data analytics to improve quality and guest loyalty.
“Our hotel is always fully booked. To achieve that, we’ve continuously upgraded our services with a focus on personalization and unique guest experiences. Individual travelers enjoy a different type of stay compared to groups,” Nguyen Thi Phuong, the General Manager of Annova Hotel, said.
 Facial recognition technology is applied in the tourism sector. (Photo: Thai Binh/ VOV) |
Many businesses in Nha Trang ward acknowledge that in today’s competitive tourism market, digital transformation reduces costs and boosts efficiency—from online booking to smart customer data management. With government support and workforce training, technology adoption has become easier than ever. What was once seen as a burden is now viewed as an opportunity to advance, sharpen competitiveness, and raise service standards.
Le Xuan Thom, CEO of the Hai Dang Company in Nha Trang ward, asserted that the company must adapt as they know without digital transformation they’ll be left behind.
“All hotel registrations go into our data system. We have dedicated software and servers, so data is never lost. As all operations are online, guest information is automatically shared with tax authorities and immigration upon check-in,” said Thom.
Khanh Hoa is also diversifying its international visitor markets. In addition to traditional markets like South Korea, Russia, and China, it is expanding to Southeast Asia, Europe, and the US. This shift has required new approaches to communication and engagement with travelers. AI is seen as a key enabler, offering real-time language translation and helping businesses better understand the needs and preferences of each visitor segment to deliver tailored products and services.
Nguyen Thi Thuc Quyen, a representative of a local AI solutions provider, said, “AI is a powerful tool for professional tour guides, enabling them to talk to visitors in 105 languages - from Korean to Spanish to Japanese. A Vietnamese guide speaks and AI instantly translates into the guest’s native language. It completely removes the language barrier.”
 Green, digital transformation is an inevitable trend of Khanh Hoa’s tourism. (Photo: Thai Binh/ VOV) |
This year Khanh Hoa aims to attract 12 million visitors. Digital transformation is helping to promote the Nha Trang-Khanh Hoa brand, improve service quality, build a smart tourism ecosystem, and strengthen connections between businesses, authorities, and tourists.
Pham Minh Nhut, President of the Nha Trang-Khanh Hoa Tourism Association, said that digitalization lays a solid foundation for sustainable growth.
“Integrating digital solutions into tourism allows us to deliver information to visitors faster than ever. Cashless payment has been widely adopted for years, and facial recognition systems are already in use. Now, newer technologies like AI are being applied across products and even to support on-site tour guides,” said Nhut.
With its stunning coastline and diverse tourism offerings, Khanh Hoa is welcoming a growing number of domestic and international travelers—aided by the province’s successful digital transformation.