Da Nang's tourism sector accelerates in year-end “festival season”
DNO - Da Nang is expected to attract a large number of tourists with a wide range of cultural, artistic, and festive events taking place across the city throughout November and December 2026.
A rich lineup of cultural events
Heading into the final months of this year, Da Nang is preparing for a series of cultural, artistic, and festive activities spanning from the coastal urban areas to the heritage sites of Hoi An, My Son, and the western mountainous part of the city.
These events open up opportunities for Da Nang’s tourism industry to establish new experiential journeys, leveraging the advantages of cultural spaces and heritage resources following its merger with former Quang Nam Province.
As planned, the city will host its first-ever Culture and National Great Solidarity Week 2026 under the theme “Cultural Essence - The Strength of Great Solidarity” from November 18 to 24.
The program will features numerous art performances to showcase Vietnam’s diverse ethnic cultures, traditional crafts, cuisine, folk games, and local heritage experiences.
Its highlight will be a special art performance on the evening of November 23 at the Tien Son Sports Arena.
In particular, a series of activities to celebrate Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day will be taken place from November 20 to December 5. The aim is to highlight cultural and historical values alongside the heritage space of the ancient town.
Notably, the Hoi An International Lantern Festival 2026, themed "Hoi An - Colors of Heritage" to occur December 3 to 6, will offer artistic lantern displays, hands-on experiences of making lanterns, creative exchanges, and cultural performances.
Specifically, the Hoi An International Lantern Festival, which will integrate lantern-making activities, artistic performances, and culinary experiences into tour packages, can provide travel agencies with compelling new offerings.
From a business perspective, the year-end cultural events are paving the way for tour operators and accommodation providers to develop the package tours which combine sightseeing, leisure, and heritage experiences.
Expectations of increased tourism revenue
Da Nang's tourism market is recording positive signs ahead of the year-end festival season.
According to the Da Nang Statistics Office, the city’s revenue from accommodation and food & beverage services in the first 10 months reached an estimated VND58,365 billion, up 25.7% year-on-year. This accounted for 22.2% of the city's total retail sales of goods and consumer services. Of this, food and beverage revenue totaled VND39,986 billion, an increase of 27.5%.
In addition, the average length of stay also improved. In detail, overnight visitors stayed an average of 1.85 days per trip in the first ten months of 2026, compared to 1.80 days during the same period in 2025.
International visitors, in particular, recorded an average stay of 2.01 days per trip, up from 1.91 days, while domestic travelers averaged 1.66 days per trip.
Additionally, a rise in foreign visitor arrivals has provided the city with a strong foundation for expanding its overseas source markets, promoting MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism, and preparing for the approaching Christmas and New Year 2027's holidays.
Furthermore, Da Nang's tourism promotion in key markets has offered travel agencies chances to maintain growth through the end of the year.
Director of Hoi An DMC Tourism Co., Ltd. Nguyen Trong Tuan shared that heading into November, the company has been operating an average of 7 to 10 tours per day, serving roughly 150 to 200 visitors.
For December alone, advance bookings have already surpassed 1,000 visitors. This customer base has offered strong potential for developing cultural experience tours, especially as Hoi An hosts its series of events to celebrate Vietnam Cultural Heritage Day and the International Lantern Festival.
The Da Nang Tourism Promotion Center stated that the year-end festival season 2026 is expected to diversify tourism offerings and enhance destination appeal while providing travelers with a wider range of experiences.
Alongside, the “festival season” will offer travel companies an opportunity to link festive activities with the tourists' demand for their accommodation, transportation, sightseeing, and dining services.