How world-class arts power Da Nang’s night-time economy

Cultural attractions become tourism magnets

In the past, Da Nang's night-time economy was mainly associated with food courts, night markets, tourist streets, or nighttime sightseeing on the Han River.

Nowadays, however, the city has expanded its products, aimed at providing visitors with distinctive cultural and artistic experiences.

Among the most prominent attractions is the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF) which has served as one of the city’s signature tourism brands for many years.

Fireworks displays, combined with music, lighting technology, and stage art, have transformed each competition night of the festival into a major cultural event, attracting tens of thousands of spectators.

During DIFF 2025, Da Nang welcomed nearly 2 million visitors, including around 770,000 international arrivals. Revenue from accommodation, food and beverage, and travel during the festival reached at VND 5.6 trillion.

Beyond DIFF, Da Nang and its surrounding areas have been increasingly diversifying their nighttime entertainment ecosystem with attractive performances at the Sun World Ba Na Hills, 3D mapping shows, and live art shows such as “Hoi An Memories”, “Ao Dai Show” and “Charming Show”. Together, these attractions create a seamless chain of experiences for visitors.

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Between 2017 and 2023, cultural industries contributed an average of 4.71% to the GRDP of the former Da Nang, reaching over 5.5% in some years. Fields such as performing arts, film, media, advertising, creative design, and digital entertainment are gradually emerging as promising new economic drivers.

In recent times, many heritage and riverside craft village tours, and cultural routes connecting Da Nang, Hoi An and My Son Sanctuary have been upgraded and refreshed.

Many traditional art forms are being integrated into tourism activities instead of remaining within preservation spaces. This approach aligns closely with the city’s strategy for developing cultural industries.

Building an ecosystem for night-time economy growth

Da Nang is currently implementing its night-time economy development plan while preparing a new strategy extending to 2030, with a broader scope.

The aim is to develop dedicated night-time economy zones, art performance venues, pedestrian streets, entertainment complexes, light shows, water shows, and cultural activities to serve tourists year-round.

In the long term, Da Nang will focus on developing modern infrastructure to support events; building a synchronized tourism-entertainment-festival ecosystem; and creating signature events and festivals.

Also, the city will lay an emphasis on strongly attracting socialized resources; simultaneously accelerating digital transformation; and developing cultural industries.

With its strategic location, well-developed tourism infrastructure, high quality of life, and abundant information technology workforce, Da Nang possesses strong advantages to become a leading center for events, festivals, and cultural industries in the Central and Central Highlands regions.