Assessing and proposing tourism product development in Thu Duc City

Abstract

This study aims to assess the current state of tourism product development in Thu Duc City and propose strategic solutions for its sustainable growth and development. Despite the city’s rich cultural heritage and urban dynamism, there remains a paucity of research on tailored tourism products that leverage its unique assets. A qualitative research design was employed, combining in-depth interviews with ten local tourism experts and key stakeholders, document analysis of municipal development plans, and descriptive statistics. Importance-Performance Analysis (IPA) was employed to evaluate stakeholder perceptions of seven potential tourism product categories, while thematic coding revealed emerging patterns and challenges.      

Findings reveal seven promising product types: urban heritage trails, eco-leisure parks, gastronomic circuits, creative art spaces, riverfront promenades, innovative tourism services, and community homestays. However, development is hindered by uneven investment, weak inter-agency coordination, and limited professional management. Rapid urbanization exerts both positive and negative pressures, including infrastructure upgrades and the loss of local identity, as well as strain on resources. Thu Duc City has considerable potential to diversify its tourism offerings, but it requires a clear strategic framework. The study recommends strengthening public-private partnerships, investing in capacity-building for local operators, and developing innovative products that strike a balance between modernization and cultural preservation. Theoretically, these insights enrich urban tourism literature by illustrating the dynamics of product development in emerging city contexts; practically, they guide policymakers toward targeted intervention and sustainable growth.