Da Nang has identified tourism as one of its five spearhead economic sectors. On that basis, the municipal Party Committee, People's Council, and People's Committee have developed various leadership documents to guide the tourism industry to establish a core system of tourism products that align with current development trends and the region's existing potential. Additionally, they emphasise the need for modern infrastructure and improved quality of tourism services, with the goal of making Da Nang a preferred destination for both domestic and international tourists.

Enhance attractiveness of Da Nang with unique tourism products

According to statistics from the municipal Department of Tourism, the number of tourists to the city has been steadily increasing over the years. Between 2017 and 2023, the average number of annual visitors was 5.01 million, which included 1.98 million international tourists and 3.03 million domestic tourists. This average number in the period was significantly higher than the figure of 3.43 million visitors per year recorded from 2010 to 2016.

In 2024, the number of visitors served by accommodation establishments reached an estimate of nearly 10.9 million, marking a 32.8% increase compared to 2023. This figure represented a 135% increase from 2019 and exceeded the 2024 plan by 29.3%. Of these visitors, international arrivals surpassed 4.1 million, reflecting a 36.3% increase against 2023 and 128% compared to 2019, and exceeding the 2024 plan by 65.8%. Domestic visitors exceeded 6.7 million, up 30.8% over 2023, and 141% compared to 2019, and surpassing the 2024 plan by 13.9%.

Revenue from accommodation, food and beverage services, and travel in 2024 hit VND 31,000 billion, indicating a rise of 22.1% compared to 2023 and 146% compared to 2019, and exceeding the 2024 plan by 10.8%.

The city has 1,290 accommodation establishments, providing a total of 46,527 rooms. Among these, there are 110 hotels classified as 4 to 5-star or equivalent, providing a combined total of 21,293 rooms. The other 1,180 establishments fall into the category of 3-star or lower, contributing 25,234 rooms.

In addition, the city is home to 548 travel agencies, which include 120 domestic travel agencies, 332 international travel agencies, 53 international travel branches, 25 representative offices, 14 travel agencies, and 4 foreign representative offices. Furthermore, there are 5,988 tour guides registered with the municipal Department of Tourism, comprising 1,712 domestic tour guides and 4,276 international tour guides.

The city and the tourism business community have developed 10 unique product types to attract and serve visitors. Included are festival and event tourism; sightseeing, experience, entertainment, theme park tourism; nighttime tourism; beach resort tourism; cultural, historical, community, ecological tourism; inland waterway tourism; MICE tourism; wedding tourism; golf tourism; and culinary tourism.

In particular, international events and festivals have become the city's brand. For example, the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF) has marked Da Nang's own brand after 12 times of organization. The festival has become a "magnet" to attract visitors and created a driving force for the economic and tourism development in the city.

Held for the first time in 2008, DIFF attracted 30,000 visitors. In 2018, the number of tickets sold reached 82,000 and the total number of tourists coming to the city during the festival was more than 1.5 million.

In 2024, the number of visitors served by accommodation establishments over the one-month DIFF reached more than 1.5 million, up 60% compared to DIFF 2023. Revenue from accommodation, food and beverage, and travel services in June 2024 generated VND 16,344 billion, a rise of 28.2% against 2023. In 2025, with the support of the city, Sun Group will continue to improve the quality and scale of this festival.

In recent years, Da Nang has surpassed many big names to rise to the top of the list of global destinations. In 2025, Da Nang will continue to be selected by travel magazines as the top must-visit destination of the year. Specifically, the city has been included in the list of the top 10 most exciting foodie destinations for 2025 announced by the Michelin Guide. It has been listed by the renowned U.S. travel site Travel Off Path among top 5 most affordable destinations for digital nomads in Asia in 2025. British magazine Time Out has just unveiled its list of eight ideal destinations to visit in Asia in 2025, with Da Nang, the sole representative from Viet Nam, securing third place on the list.

The number of tourists to the city has increased steadily over the years. Photo: NGOC HA

Tourism development solutions deployed synchronously

According to Mrs. Truong Thi Hong Hanh, Director of the Da Nang Department of Tourism, the city is aiming for sustainable tourism development based on its existing resources, infrastructure, service systems, and government-approved planning. To enhance the tourism industry, Da Nang is now concentrating on implementing three key initiatives. They are innovations in tourism products; strategies for expanding market, increasing flight routes, and stimulating tourism demand; and improvements in service quality and the training of human resources in the tourism sector.

At the same time, the city will deploy planning and key development orientations according to the roadmap, including the tourism development plan in 2025; night-time economic, and inland waterway tourism development plans; culinary development plan into tourism product; and other key projects and plans approved by the city.

Importance will be attached to researching market and tourism trends to effectively enhance communication and promotion, with focus on increasing flights to Qatar, Australia, Osaka (Japan), and Indonesia, as well as opening new flights between the city and India and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS).

Efforts will be made to implement stimulus programmes to attract visitors and boost demand to sustain these flights; as well as develop, announce, and organize the application of “high quality” criteria for tourism activities and services in the city.

According to Vice Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Tran Chi Cuong, the city's leaders will continue to pay attention to supporting and allocating resources for sake of developing the city's tourism industry to truly become a spearhead economic sector.

Above all, the most important thing in sustainable tourism development is the community factor. The people are the ones who will join hands to build tourism products, but they are also tour guides to introduce the good things of the destination to tourists faster and more authentically. Public awareness in protecting the environment and preserving the landscape will help tourists feel more about the attractiveness of the destination as well as join hands to preserve the destination, he added.

“I hope that the people will join hands with the city in developing tourism and protecting the environment, aiming for each person to be a "tour guide". The action will greatly contribute to advertising the image of Da Nang as a green - clean - beautiful and hospitable city in the hearts of tourists", Vice Chairman Cuong emphasised.

Reporting by NGOC HA - Translating by M.DUNG