After a 3-year break due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF) 2023 will be held from June 3 to July 8. This is a unique tourism product and highly attractive event that contributes to branding Da Nang as ‘the city of fireworks’. A large number of local dwellers, tourists and the business community expect that this return of renowned fireworks festival will increase the experience for visitors when coming to Da Nang.

Here is the scene of Da Nang corner during the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival 2019. Photo: KIM LIEN

Refreshing, more creative festival

The DIFF 2023 organisers said that the upcoming event shows off the theme ‘World without distance’, honoring the strong recovery of world tourism after the COVID-19 pandemic and the reputation of DIFF 2023 in Da Nang. With brilliant fireworks and many exciting events throughout the city’s corners during DIFF 2023, Da Nang will be the convergence of global connectivity, igniting the vitality and solidarity of the five continents to overcome difficulties and challenges after the pandemic.

Similar to previous DIFF periods, each team will have a 20 - minute firework display variously themed ‘love without distance’, ‘peace for the world’, ‘equality for humanity’, ‘unlimited creativity’ and ‘sustainable tourism development’.

Based on a fact that most tourists are very interested in the DIFF, tourism service providers are very excited with the landmark return of such a fireworks festival, and they are ready to prepare good-quality services targeting tourists near and far.

According to Phan Van Thuc, CEO of the Serene Beach Hotel Danang, when Da Nang reopened in the summer of 2022, it welcomed a large number of visitors who had not go travelling during the COVID-19 outbreak.

To continue to lure more visitors, the Da Nang tourism industry is meticulously preparing to launch stimulus programmes for this summer when the travel season enters its peak time. 

DIFF 2023, held for more than one month, will be a push to stimulate travel demand. This will be the basis for travel agencies and businesses to add more products in service for tourists, especially potential international markets such as S. Korea. However, besides the fireworks festival, Da Nang needs to quickly develop more attractive new services and night-time activities, especially those in coastal areas in a bid to create a vibrant, bustling and attractive tourist ambiance.

As evaluated by Vice Chairman of the Da nang Hotel Association Pham Minh Tuan, events such as sea tourism and international fireworks festivals are considered typical products of Da Nang. After several years of being affected by the COVID-19, the reorganisation of these events will offer a good opportunity to Da Nang to attract more visitors. Accordingly, it is necessary to refresh and be more creative in festival organisation, avoid repetitive boredom, so that the city can find it easier to encourage tourists to make returns.

Sideline activities need to be refreshed so as to increase the attractiveness of DIFF 2023. A street dance performance is pictured attracting a great deal of attention from tourists. Photo: T.H

Create a push to attract more tourists

Mr. Le Thien Tu, Director of V.E.I Travel & Event Co., Ltd. acknowledged that DIFF 2023 will be considered as this year’s major event which can be expected to be a big boost for tourism in Da Nang and the Central Viet Nam as a whole, during the tourism recovery period.

DIFF 2023 will promptly meet the needs of tourists, add fun activities and experiences for the tourism industry. As expected, locals and travellers will have the chance to participate in a wide range of cultural events, sports, cuisine, exhibitions and other sideline activities throughout the duration of DIFF 2023.

As for travel agencies, accommodation, airlines and tourist attractions ..., the return of DIFF 2023 will create a surge in the number of visitors, an opportunity for organisers to create more product lines and more attractive travel packages. To prepare for this event, local suppliers, accommodation establishments, chains and tourism supply chains will quickly launch their own activities to welcome guests.

As revealed by Mr. Nguyen Van Binh, the Chairman of Sun Group in the Central Viet Nam, during DIFF 2023, there will be a series of companion events to increase the travel experience for visitors during their stay in this central Vietnamese hub of tourism.

On this occasion, scuh famous tourists attractions in Da Nang as Sun World Ba Na Hills and Asia Park will organise many festivals, music and art events that are especially attractive to tourists.

“With an effort to accompany the Da Nang People's Committee to bring DIFF 2023 back in the context of tourism activities still facing many difficulties after the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, we would like to join hands to bring a  breakthrough push that contributes to promoting the recovery of Da Nang ‘smokeless industry’ and that of Viet Nam at large. It is hoped that the reappearance of DIFF after 3 years of absence will attract tourists from all over the world, especially international visitors to Da Nang. DIFF 2023 will turn Da Nang into a summer tourism centre not only in the country but also in the region, thereby helping protect Da Nang’s image as Asia's leading event and festival destination”, said Binh.

According to Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Tourism Nguyen Xuan Binh, the international fireworks festival has become a trademark of Da Nang, so the re-organisation of this event during post-COVID-19 period is very important to contribute to the successful recovery of the local tourism industry and publicise the Da Nang’s stature as a dynamic city of festivals that welcomes visitors throughout the four seasons.

Reporting by THU HA - Translating by A.THU