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DNO - Few cities in Southeast Asia have managed to sustain an international cultural event for nearly two decades. In Vietnam, Da Nang has done just that with the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF).
The city has transformed what began as a fireworks competition into one of the country's most recognizable tourism brands.
The festival's success is now shaping a broader ambition: positioning Da Nang as a year-round destination for international festivals where culture, entertainment and tourism reinforce one another to drive economic growth.
Festival drives tourism
The numbers from DIFF 2026 illustrate its growing influence. Da Nang welcomed more than 557,000 overnight visitors during the festival's first five competition nights between May 30 and June 27, representing a 34% increase compared with the same period last year.
Each fireworks night attracted an average of over 100,000 overnight guests, while the June 27 event recorded approximately 117,400 visitors, the highest figure of the season.
Domestic travellers accounted for around 324,000 overnight stays, while 233,000 international visitors made up roughly 42% of the total.
Many came from high-value markets including India, Kazakhstan, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia and the Netherlands, bringing increased spending on hotels, restaurants, entertainment and premium tourism experiences.
Unlike many fireworks festivals that end once the final display fades, DIFF has become the starting point for longer holidays. Visitors frequently combine the evening performances with trips to Ba Na Hills, My Khe Beach, the UNESCO World Heritage town of Hoi An, and the My Son Sanctuary, extending their stay and increasing tourism revenue across Central Vietnam.
The festival has also earned growing international recognition. Recently, Travel + Leisure named DIFF among the world's nine must-experience festivals, acknowledging years of continuous investment and innovation that have expanded the event beyond fireworks into a multidisciplinary celebration of music, technology, performing arts and immersive visitor experiences.
What has elevated DIFF into the ranks of the world's leading fireworks festivals is not merely the spectacle in the night sky, but the way Da Nang has built a complete festival ecosystem where technology, art, culture and tourism come together.
In many destinations, visitors come to watch fireworks and then leave. In Da Nang, they experience an entire festival. That philosophy is increasingly shaping the city's tourism strategy.
Nadia Shakira Wong, Strategic Business Director of Global2000 International Limited and jury advisor for DIFF 2026.
Turning festivals into an economic engine
Rather than relying on a single headline event, Da Nang is linking festivals with local culture, cuisine, heritage, wellness, eco-tourism and coastal recreation to create year-round travel experiences.
Following DIFF, the city launched the Enjoy Da Nang Festival 2026, offering activities ranging from sunrise fish market tours and beach meditation sessions to cultural workshops, culinary events and excursions across the Son Tra Peninsula and western Da Nang. This integrated approach is essential for extending visitor stays.
According to Ho Thanh Tu, the Chairman of the Da Nang Travel Association, major events may attract visitors to the city, but it is the experiences built around those events that determine how long they stay.
Da Nang should develop tailored itineraries for different visitor segments, connecting festivals with local cuisine, traditional craft villages, cultural heritage, eco-tourism and beach resorts.
Rather than promoting individual attractions, the city should package them into seamless travel experiences, combining coastal vacations with visits to Hoi An and My Son Sanctuary, urban exploration with mountain excursions, or business conferences with leisure and cultural activities.
Da Nang has room to expand its portfolio of premium tourism products, including wellness services and bespoke experiences for high-spending travelers.
Integrating MICE tourism with festivals, gastronomy, luxury resorts and nature-based attractions could further strengthen the city's appeal.
To encourage longer stays and higher visitor spending, major events must be supported by well-connected tour programs, digital platforms and flexible travel packages that cater to the growing demand for personalized travel experiences.
For Da Nang, the long-term goal extends beyond hosting successful festivals. It is building a festival economy, one in which cultural events generate sustained demand for hospitality, transportation, retail, entertainment and local experiences.
If that strategy succeeds, DIFF may ultimately be remembered not simply as a fireworks festival, but as the catalyst that transformed Da Nang into one of Asia's emerging festival capitals.