Information kiosks which look like outdated Volkswagen coaches in Da Nang are drawing a great deal of attention from city dwellers and visitors from both home and abroad.
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| The car-shaped information kiosk |
Operating on a trial basis, information kiosks are located at a section of Bach Dang sidewalk promenade near the western end of the Rong (Dragon) Bridge, a section of riverside Tran Hung Dao near the eastern end of the bridge, the East Sea Park, and 2 sections of coastal Vo Nguyen Giap near its intersections with Vo Van Kiet and Nguyen Van Thoai streets.
These venues daily open from 3.00pm until 10.00pm.
The installation of the car-shaped information kiosks is initiated and funded by the Sun Group, whilst the municipal Department of Tourism is in charge of managing tourism advertisement information.
Apart from offering adequate information on local tourism to visitors, these eye-catching ‘cars’, painted in orange and white, also help to make the urban landscape more beautiful, and become an attractive souvenir photo shooting locations.
Covering an area of nearly 12m2, each ‘car’ is equipped with a LED screen advertising the allure of the local tourism and 2 small ceiling fans, a fridge storing bottled beverages of various kinds for sale, plus a large number of advertisement leaflets and brochures available here.
Guides at these kios are willing to supply useful information on popular attractions, accommodations, restaurants, entertainment and relaxation areas across the city, as well as to enthusiastically recommend suitable travel schedules to visitors.
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| Visitors from Hong Kong asking information on how to travel to the Ba Na Hills Resort |
Ms Huynh Thi Kim Tuyet, a guide who is on duty at an information kiosk located on Tran Hung Dao, feels very pleased with her job as she has the opportunity to meet foreign tourists, and especially Vietnamese overseas people who return to their hometowns in the city to reunite with their extended families.
Tuyet said, in some cases, she must use body language whilst communicating with foreigners who cannot speak English.
A male tourist from Tuy Hoa City said he is very impressed by the lovely and eye-catching design of ‘cars’, and the friendly, polite attitude and behaviour of the guides towards visitors.
Seeking information on the Marble Mountains Tourist Area and how to conduct foreign currency transactions at a kiosk located at the East Sea Park, an American married couple gave high praise to the operation of such an impressive information supply model.
The foreign couple also recommended that there should be more specific information on local tourist sites and means of transport used to travel to there.
Mr Tran Chi Cuong, the Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Tourism, underlined the significance of the operation of information kiosks in helping to create a friendly, safe, convenient and comfortable tourism environment for visitors.
In the coming time, more such kiosks will be installed in local tourists-packed attractions.