With the advantage of cultural potential, Da Nang is interested in investing in a number of relics to turn them into tourist attractions luring a large number of domestic and foreign tourists, and become the driving force for the city’s socio-economic development. Along with that, focus is being placed on developing cultural industries.

The Viet Nam Film Development Association (VFDA) and the Da Nang People's Committee jointly organized the signing ceremony of the memorandum of cooperation between the two sides and introduced the 3rd Asian Film Festival - 2025. Photo: DOAN LUONG

Promoting the system of relics and festivals

According to Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Culture and Sports Nguyen Thi Hoi An, Da Nang boasts many advantages and potentials for developing cultural industries, especially cultural tourism. This is one of the fields identified as spearheads and priorities for the city’s development.

In recent years, the local cultural sector has initially focused on orienting the promotion of the system of relics and festivals in tourism economic activities.

In addition to specialised museums and famous historical sites that contribute to the formation of key tourist sites that greatly contribute to attracting visitors, the city has formed tours and tourist routes boosting connections with heritage sites and traditional festivals in order to preserve and promote the value of historical relics and traditional occupations in villages along rivers, especially the Han River - K20 Revolutionary Base, the Han River - Tuy Loan - Thai Lai, and the Cu De River tourist route.

In addition, the city has kept its eyes on developing regional and international events and festivals and achieving the title of Asia’s leading destination of events and festivals. The Da Nang International Fireworks Festival, which has been held periodically over the years, has become increasingly large in scale and quality, becoming a unique brand.

The Da Nang Asian Film Festival (DANAFF) is a new highlight of Da Nang through its organisation. In the coming time, the city will focus on effectively implementing the project of organising unique annual cultural events and festivals, associated with establishing a series of events and cultural festivals at night in Da Nang for the 2022 - 2026 period.

The Da Nang Department of Culture and Sports is conducting research to issue a project on developing cultural industries in Da Nang until 2030, in order to maximise potential and opportunities.

Accordingly, the city is oriented to prioritise the development of industries with many advantages and potentials; typically the cultural tourism industry in the context of the city striving to become a highly popular city of events, identifying tourism as one of the key economic sectors.

At the same time, emphasis is on applying new technologies in a number of key industries, in order to create quality cultural and artistic products that can compete with others in the international market. In addition, developing cultural industries must go hand in hand with perfecting the cultural market in all fields.

The art programme ‘Symphony by the River 2024’ organized by Sun Group at the Da Nang Downtown entertainment complex. Photo: GIA PHUC

Creating a diverse and synchronous development environment

To implement Decision No. 1755/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister approving the Strategy for the development of Viet Nam’s cultural industries to 2020, with a vision toward 2030, the Da Nang People's Committee has issued Plan No. 9585/KH-UBND for implementation.

Accordingly, the city continued paying attention to reviewing, adjusting, and perfecting mechanisms and policies for the development of cultural industries; directing departments and agencies to develop policies for attracting investment flows and financial contribution from the whole community for the cultural field through creating preferential mechanisms on capital, tax and land to encourage businesses to participate deeply in the development of cultural industries.

On the basis of developing cultural human resources and improving the quality of cultural and artistic programs and events, the city has expanded its focus from tourism and digital technology to other areas such as cinema, performing arts and music.

Along with that, the city has encouraged private funding for cultural industries, especially IT, creative startups and infrastructure development projects, focusing on improving the quality of theaters, cinemas and cultural centers. Thanks to that, the number of businesses and creative spaces has increased significantly, attracting the arrival of more human resources in cultural industries to the city.

Recently, Standing Vice Chairman of the Da Nang People's Committee Ho Ky Minh said that since 2015, Da Nang has made efforts to implement the policies of the Party and the national government in elevating culture to match the economy, politics and society. In particular, the development of the cultural industry is identified as a spearhead to promote the city’s rapid and sustainable development.

At the same time, Da Nang is highly determined to complete cultural development in many various areas, focusing on advertising, software and entertainment games, design, cinema, performing arts, and cultural tourism.

Reporting by DOAN HAO LUONG - Translating by A.THU