Media Coverage of USS George Washington’s Visit to Da Nang
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As the only travel company in Vietnam selected under a highly stringent set of requirements, Visit Indochina successfully organized and delivered tour services for more than 1,000 sailors from the USS George Washington aircraft carrier during its visit to Da Nang. Images of Visit Indochina and its services featured prominently across major media outlets in Vietnam and internationally.
According to Mr. Nguyen Son Thuy, Director of Visit Indochina, the occasion was among the company’s most significant and memorable events of 2026.
Far more than a conventional tourism operation, Visit Indochina played an important role in showcasing the beauty of Da Nang, its people and local culture to international audiences through the experiences of sailors from the USS George Washington.
USS George Washington Sailors Taste Nam O Fish Sauce and Ride the Ba Na Hills Cable Car
The USS George Washington was anchored in Da Nang from July 30 to August 5, marking the third visit by a U.S. aircraft carrier to Vietnam. During such port calls, the time sailors spend in a host country presents a valuable opportunity for the destination to welcome these high-profile guests while leveraging the event’s international visibility to promote its people, culture and tourism offerings.
On previous visits, U.S. carrier sailors had already formed particularly positive impressions of Hoi An, Da Nang and Hue. During the carrier’s five-day stay in Da Nang this time, Visit Indochina successfully met the extensive service requirements set by the carrier’s logistics team and was selected to organize sightseeing tours for its sailors.
On the afternoon of July 30, the aircraft carrier named after George Washington, the first President of the United States, was permitted to enter Tien Sa Bay. Surrounding the carrier was a formation of U.S. Navy vessels, including cruisers and other leading warships.
As the carrier arrived, the sailors were welcomed by representatives from diplomatic missions, the military and local authorities in Da Nang. International and global media organizations were also present to cover the high-profile event.
USS George Washington sailors exploring Da Nang’s iconic attractions
Among the most striking images of a Vietnamese tourism brand during the visit were Visit Indochina’s reception and tour registration counters set up specifically for the sailors.
In preparation for the event, Visit Indochina spent months conducting training and intensive preparation for its tour guides and reception teams. Its fleet of tour buses was also carefully prepared to meet high service standards.
After months at sea, the sailors were warmly welcomed ashore, with the Visit Indochina team ensuring that every detail was in place for their Da Nang experience.
With favorable weather, high-quality services and the professionalism of an experienced international tour operator accustomed to serving high-standard groups, the USS George Washington sailors expressed their satisfaction with the experience.
Bringing the Most Authentic, Down-to-Earth Vietnam to American Visitors
Throughout the USS George Washington’s stay in Da Nang Bay, the movements and experiences of its sailors attracted considerable attention from the media. Major international news organizations also sent reporters to the city to cover the visit.
What surprised many people in Vietnam and abroad was that, despite Da Nang’s extensive range of premium tourism services for high-end travelers and its experience hosting world leaders from the United States, Japan, China and Russia during APEC 2017 - the experiences arranged by Visit Indochina for the aircraft carrier’s sailors were distinctly authentic and deeply Vietnamese.
On the streets of Da Nang, whenever a tour bus stopped and its doors opened, images of Visit Indochina guiding groups of tall, physically imposing American sailors onto the sidewalk to enjoy Vietnamese street coffee attracted particular interest from both visitors and local residents.
In Vietnam, sidewalk coffee is an open and informal social space rarely found elsewhere in the world - a setting deeply embedded in the country’s urban culture and identity. Sitting by the street, visitors can chat freely, enjoy aromatic coffee from one of the world’s leading coffee-producing countries, and experience a peaceful, safe and welcoming side of Vietnam.
After exploring Da Nang’s street-side culture, the sailors were taken to destinations that have become widely recognized through international media, including Ba Na Hills, Dragon Bridge and Linh Ung Pagoda.
At Hai Van Pass, in particular, many American visitors were impressed by the expansive views of the East Sea and the tranquil landscape where mountains embrace the coastline of Central Vietnam.
Some of the most memorable moments came from the culinary experiences arranged for the sailors. Recognizing their interests while taking the opportunity to promote Da Nang’s local identity, Visit Indochina designed dining and sightseeing experiences around local restaurants, specialties and cultural destinations closely connected to the region.
These included Ba Mua Mi Quang, Cao Lau, Nam O fish sauce, fresh draft beer paired with local dishes such as pork and rice paper rolls, and other specialties.
USS George Washington sailors intrigued by the distinctive taste of Nam O fish sauce
Everything the visitors tasted was closely connected to the culture, heritage and distinctive character of Central Vietnam.
Unprecedented Media Reach According to statistics, during the five-day stay in Da Nang, the experiences of USS George Washington sailors touring the city with Visit Indochina’s services generated a major media impact, with at least 23 articles and video reports published or broadcast by dozens of major news and media organizations in Vietnam and internationally. Images of American sailors drinking fresh draft beer, enjoying sidewalk coffee, eating Mi Quang and tasting Nam O fish sauce generated strong media interest while portraying Da Nang and Vietnam as welcoming, culturally rich and safe destinations. Visit Indochina Director Nguyen Son Thuy expressed his pride in the company’s team and its capacity to deliver large-scale, high-standard operations. Successfully providing a professional and seamless experience for the USS George Washington sailors, he said, was the clearest testament to the company’s capabilities. “What I value most is the direction set by the Da Nang city leadership and tourism sector to develop tourism experiences under the concept of ‘Return to Origins’, introducing visitors to the most authentic, genuine and culturally meaningful aspects of Da Nang. We followed this direction in designing the experiences for the USS George Washington sailors and they were deeply impressed. For them, Da Nang, Vietnam has now become part of the journey as the carrier travels through different destinations. For those of us working in tourism, this is the greatest joy to have the opportunity to showcase the image of our homeland and our country to the world.” - Mr. Thuy said. |
Báo Tuổi Trẻ:
Tuoi Tre News:
Đà Nẵng News
Da Nang news:
VOV
Văn Hóa News
Dân Việt
Viet Nam Insider
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Travel Team:
Da Nang City 1022 Information Portal
Nhan Dan Newspaper – French-language Edition
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