After two years of interruptions due to COVID-19, the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF) will return to the city next summer, hopefully contributing to promoting local tourism activities and luring more visitors to the city.

A fireworks performance at the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival 2019. Photo: X.D

Participating teams must have new and unique ideas

The festival is scheduled to take place from June 3, 2023 - July 8, 2023. The Han River port site will be the main location of the fireworks displays with viewers’ stands accommodating a total of 17,000 spectators.

DIFF 2023 is expected to have 8 participating teams, namely the Da Nang team and 7 international ones. There will be 5 performance nights, comprising 4 qualifying and 1 finale nights. Each team's performance time is not less than 20 minutes and not more than 22 minutes, according to the theme of DIFF 2023.

​In order to ensure the success of the upcoming festival, the municipal government is inviting businesses and organisations with sufficient capacity and experience based on their capabilities to participate in the organisation of DIFF 2023.

The participating units should propose new, unique and large-scale ideas and develop a detailed organisation plan for this event. Priority is given to units that commit to organise DIFF for 3 consecutive years.

Selected organisations will finance the cost of the DIFF 2023, which is estimated at about VND150 billion (about US$ 6 million).

Along with the unique fireworks performances, DIFF 2023 is slated to treat viewers with arts performances imbued with the cultural identity of Viet Nam and other competing countries with the participation of A-list artistes from renowned art troupes at home and abroad.

In addition, there will be auxiliary activities spreading across the city, including space on both banks of the Han River, along Bach Dang and Vo Nguyen Giap streets, My Khe Beach, and Tien Son Sports Arena.

The comeback of the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival iwill contribute to attracting more tourists to the city. IN THE PHOTO: Visitors arrive at Da Nang International Airport. Photo: THU HA

Highlights at DIFF 2023

First held in 2008 to create a trademark for Da Nang’s tourism, the annual event helped the city win the title 'Asia's Leading Festival & Event Destination' at the World Travel Awards (WTA) in 2016. Therefore, more than anyone else, those working in the hospitality industry are looking forward to the return of the fireworks event.

Nguyen Minh Xoang, Director of the Hai Van Cat International Travel Service Company, expressed his hope that DIFF 2023 will create a vibrant atmosphere for Da Nang and the city will be given a more splendid ‘new coat’ after the two quiet years.

He suggested that the festival should be held during the off-peak tourist season to stimulate and attract visitors to the city because summer is usually the city’s peak tourist season and at this time travel firms are busy.

He also stressed the need for the city to promote marketing campaigns about DIFF in potential international markets in a bid to lure more foreigners to the city.

Sharing the same view, Chairman of the Da Nang Tourism Association Cao Tri Dung said tourism businesses are very eager to welcome back the fireworks festival because this is a trademark that Da Nang’s tourism has been built for many years.

He added, as every year, the fireworks festival is held right in the city’s peak tourist season in June and July, so if possible, there should be a shift in time before or after the peak tourist season to facilitate tourism firms to attract customers in a better manner.

Chairman Dung underlined a necessity for the city to build a series of events into an ecosystem over a long period of time to lure regular visitors, as well as issue early communications plans to make the best exploitation of these events.

Meanwhile, Mr. Phan Van Thuc, Managing Director of the Da Nang Bel Group Hospitality (including Serene Beach Hotel Da Nang) said that many tourists are also looking forward to the return of the fireworks festival which was postponed for a few years.

He highlighted the significance of the event in advertising the city's tourism, promoting business activities of residents and accommodation facilities, and attracting guests from countries with participating teams.

He proposed that the festival should be held from the end of April to the National Day holiday on September 2 in order to create diversity and uniqueness for the city's tourism and lure more visitors to the city.

Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Tourism Nguyen Xuan Binh stressed the necessity to reorganise DIFF 2023. "The fireworks festival hasbecome the highlight of Da Nang which not only enhances the city’s trademark but also is a solution to attract tourists to the city", Mr. Binh emphasised.

According to Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Culture and Sports Ha Vy, DIFF is a large-scale unique international event in Viet Nam, and is one of the city’s distinct cultural events. It contributes to connecting Da Nang closer to international friends, and leaving a strong impression of a young and dynamic city on tourists at both home and abroad.

Therefore, after the success of previous festivals, the municipal People's Committee wishes to collaborate with any qualified organisation or enterprise who can fully meet all the requirements to team up to host the event.

Reporting by THU HA - Translating by M.DUNG