The Da Nang government is taking actions to revive the local economy which suffered a minus growth in the first half of the year due to the negative impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. The focus is on enhancing demand stimulus and boost night-time economy in the city.

Residents and visitors at the Son Tra Night Market

The evening economy describes economic activity taking place in the evening after many people finish daytime employment or formal education, such as eating and drinking, entertainment, and nightlife.

After its long pandemic-triggered closure, the bustle creeps back to the Son Tra Night Market. This site recorded over 60% of visitors returning here for shopping and entertainment.

According to, the DHTC Da Nang Joint Stock Company, the market’s developer, before Covid-19 happened, the market had always been crowded, especially at weekends. After more than one year of its operation, this night market has party helped to create jobs and raise income for about 200 small family businesses, thereby building up an attractive night shopping and entertainment venue for this downtown tourists-packed district, and the city as a whole.

Meanwhile, in Hai Chau District, for the time being, nighttime economic activities mainly concentrate on specialised shopping areas along some major streets that have been put into operation. Included are an area dedicated to delectable breakfast dishes on Huynh Thuc Khang Street, and a fashion goods shopping area along a section of Le Duan Street Over the past years, these two venues have operated effectively, whereby helping to drive the district's economic growth. 

In addition to the aforementioned specialised areas, the district’s authorities also intend to develop some similar venues such as an area dedicated to electronic-digital equipment on a part of Hoang Dieu Street, fashion goods selling venues along sections of the streets of Phan Chau Trinh and Trung Nu Vuong.

The bustling ambiance recorded at the Son Tra Night Market

According to assessments by the municipal Department of Industry and Trade, Da Nang is one of the most popular travel destinations in Viet Nam with about 9 million tourist arrivals recorded last year but the potential of Da Nang’s nighttime economy has yet to be fully tapped.

Mr Nguyen Ha Bac, the Director of the municipal Department of Industry and Trade stated, the city houses 78 traditional markets, 8 shopping centers, 70 supermarkets, more than 200 convenient stores and thousands of restaurants and cafes.

Besides, the city’s service - trade sector has always made the great contributions to the city's annual retail sales. However, local nightlife services now mainly involve in drinking and dining with a handful of restaurants, pubs and snack bars. Meanwhile, the sale of such a few night markets such as Son Tra and Helio scale is quite small.

According to Mr Nguyen Tien Quang, the Director of the Da Nang Branch of the Viet Nam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI), in order to develop the nighttime economy, it is essential that new highly practical policies be released.

For instance, it is a good idea to make the city a ‘sleepless city’ by allowing shops and stores to operate on a 24/7 basis, instead of closing their doors before midnight as currently. At the moment, Viet Nam’s tourist products are focused on daytime activities taking place between 7:00 am and 5:00 pm, while the period from 6:00 pm until 2:00 am the next day are left under-invested.

The city is putting in place more effective measures in an effort to promote the development of its night-time economy. Priority is given to developing more attractive new tourism products at night, upgrading the Con Market into a major shopping and sightseeing venue, and appealing for more investment into the creation of duty-free shopping centres citywide.

The most essential task now is to develop more commercial infrastructure, open more professional dining and entertainment places to promote the evening economy.

By KHANH HOA – Translated by A.T