In recent years, sports tourism, as it’s called, is one of the growing sectors in the travel industry. In Da Nang, the sports tourism trend is on the rise as the city has been witnessing an increasing number of travellers looking to combine their travels with participating in sports events and festivals.

Tourists can enjoy the bird's-eye view of Da Nang beaches when experiencing paragliding. Photo: Bao Lam

Da Nang is well-known as the host for a number of national and international prestigious sports tournaments, including the Da Nang International Marathon (DNIM), and the IRONMAN 70.3 Viet Nam.

Accordingly, the annual DNIM is one of the oldest and largest-scale international cross-country running competitions in Viet Nam.

Over the past decade, DNIM has become a large-scale and important sporting event in the coastal city, contributing to encouraging people to pursue a healthy lifestyle, and promoting local tourism by attracting thousands of domestic and international runners.

The contest is proud to be recognised as having the most beautiful running track in ASEAN which is certified to meet standards of the Association of International Marathons (AIMS) and the World Athletics Federation (World Athletics). Accordingly, runners will run through a number of the city’s prominent locations such as the Dragon Bridge, the Han River Bridge, the Son Tra Peninsula, and the Marble Mountains.

DNIM has been ranked 3^rd amongst the top 6 must-do marathons in Asia by readers of Rad Season magazine.

Previously, it was held annually in August, but from this year, the organising board has decided to organise the event in March when the weather is cooler and more pleasant.

Meanwhile, the IRONMAN 70.3 Viet Nam competition attracts thousands of domestic and international athletes every year.

The 7^th largest triathlon race in Viet Nam - VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 Viet Nam2023 set a new record when it attracted more than 3,000 athletes from 62 countries around the world. In addition to the main IRONMAN 70.3 race, the triathlon week included the SUNRISE SPRINT Viet Nam, a short series triathlon for beginners; IRONKIDS Viet Nam with aquathlon and triathlon formats exclusively for children; Newborns Viet Nam Run Out charity race to support babies in Viet Nam.

Athletes coming to VinFast IRONMAN 70.3 Viet Nam not only enjoy the pride of winning, but also grasp the opportunity to conquer the international arena. The race contributes significantly to promoting the development of sports movements in the country and boosting the growth of national tourism.

Also, there are municipal-level sports events associated with the sea, such as the Da Nang Sea Sports Festival - Da Nang Color Race, the Da Nang Open Paragliding Tournament, the Da Nang International Lifeguard Competition, and the Da Nang Hot Air Balloon Festival.

Notably, kayak racing, SUP rowing, beach volleyball or beach soccer also bring new and attractive experiences for tourists when coming to Da Nang.

In 2024, the 13^th ASEAN School Games is slated to be held in the city from May 31 - June 9.

Sports delegations from ten countries, namely Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand, Myanmar and Viet Nam, are expected to attend the games.

Participating athletes will compete in six sports, namely athletics, swimming, basketball, badminton, Pencak Silat, and Vovinam. These are popular sports among students in schools in Viet Nam and Southeast Asian countries. At the end of the sports event, organisers will award 107 sets of medals to outstanding athletes in each sport, and give prize to the entire teams.

According to the plan, the competitions will take place at 6 locations including the Tien Son Sports Arena, the Son Tra District-based Cultural and Sports Centre, the Da Nang University’s Sports Centre, the Hoa Xuan athletics stadium, the martial arts gym, and the city’s swimming and diving pool.

Additionally, the city will host major tournaments such as the Asian Taekwondo Championship, and Asian Open Short Track Skating Trophy.

Finally, it is impossible not to mention a world-class Clipper Race 2015 - 2016 that Da Nang once hosted.

Thanks to its advantages and potential in sports and tourism, Da Nang is completely confident in organising large-scale sports events and tournaments, thereby luring more tourists to the city and contributing to promoting the early recovery of the tourism industry, one of the city's spearhead economic sectors.

Reporting by DAN HUNG - Translating by M.DUNG