Da Nang attracts more foreign visitors with international fireworks festival

The number of international visitors to the central city of Da Nang during the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF) 2024 increased by 33% over the same period last year.

Finland's performance at the final of the DIFF 2024 (Photo: Sun Group)

The festival, which took place for more than a month with a series of world-class events and shows, is a way for Da Nang to affirm its brand as a leading city of festivals and events in Asia as well as become the most attractive destination in Vietnam during this time.

Finland's performance at the final of the DIFF 2024 (Photo: Sun Group)

From the DIFF 2024 magnet…

The DIFF 2024 took place from June 8 to July 13, 2024 with the participation of eight teams from France, Germany, Italy, the US, Poland, China, Finland and Da Nang - Vietnam. The spectacular finale with victory of the Finnish team, which was also crowned champion of DIFF 2019, marked the closure of an impressive DIFF 2024.

It took up to one year to prepare for the festival with the participation of more than 2,000 staff from Da Nang and Sun Group and a total investment of hundreds of billions of Vietnamese dong sponsored by Sun Group. Those made the DIFF 2024 the largest-ever of its kind so far.

With the companionship of businesses and the drastic work of local authorities, DIFF 2024 has become a magnet drawing visitors to Da Nang. According to data from the Da Nang Department of Tourism, the total number of visitors served by tourist accommodation establishments during the five days of DIFF 2024 reached 360,662 (an increase of 12% compared to DIFF 2023), of which the number of international arrivals reached 138,037 (up 33% over the same period) and domestic arrivals 222,625 (up 2% over the same period).

The number of visitors served by tourist accommodation establishments over more than one month of the DIFF 2024 was reported at more than 1.5 million, an increase of 60% compared to the same period last year.

The total number of passengers using the fireworks viewing service on a total of 23 ships with 2,439 seats in Da Nang city reached 11,442 (an increase of 11.8% compared to DIFF 2023).

Da Nang attracts 1.5 million visitors during the one-month DIFF 2024.

With a large number of visitors flocking to Da Nang during the DIFF 2024, Da Nang tourism recorded significant revenue growth. Revenue from accommodation, food, and travel services in June 2024 was estimated at 16.344 trillion VND (645 million USD), an increase of 28.2% over the same period in 2023. These are numbers that many destinations dream for.DIFF 2024 is said to be a strong push for local tourism demand and have a positive impact on all aspects of the city’s socio-economic development. According to Chairman of Da Nang City People's Committee Le Trung Chinh, the festival this year has had great impacts on the city's socio-economic development, especially the tourism and service sectors.

"In the coming years, we will continue to build on the results and continuously innovate to diversify activities, especially the DIFF," Chinh said.

…to Da Nang - a worth visiting, experiencing city

Da Nang had a brilliant start for summer with DIFF 2024 along with countless positive signals such as an increased number of flights and room occupancy reaching a record of nearly 100%. However, the city on the Han River has more than the DIFF.

"Fairy Blossom" show at Ba Na Hills

Throughout the summer months, a series of popular shows at Ba Na Hills gathering the world's top circus and magic stars have turned Da Nang into a capital of art.

The "Fairy Blossom" show alone brings together more than 200 international and Vietnamese artists, including the world's Number 1 male pole circus artist; the famous twin stars who once rocked “The Ellen Show”, and a couple of Russia's top artists who are frequent guests of royal events.

In the centre of the city, the Da Nang Downtown was built to recreate the world-famous "entertainment district" model with many exciting high-class experiences and shows all around the clock.

"Awaken River” is a show that awakens the west bank of the Han River with Jetski and Flyboard adventure sports performances which look like coming out of Hollywood movies. Meanwhile, the show "Symphony of River" is an impressive combination of jetski and flyboards, lighting, circus and dance performances with the participation of nearly 100 international artists. The most impressive thing at this show is the nightly fireworks display, continuing to affirm Da Nang's brand as the capital of fireworks and light and the most worth-visiting city in Vietnam.

The show "Symphony of River" with fireworks display every night at Da Nang Downtown

Besides unique shows at famous tourist destinations, Da Nang also continuously organises international events and festivals throughout the summer such as the second Da Nang Asian Film Festival, the ASEAN Schools Games, the Asian Golf Tournament, or the Enjoy Danang festival that is taking place from July 17 - 21 with a series of art, culinary, sports activities, sailing demonstration and drone shows.

With a series of festivals continuously held on a large scale, accommodation facilities in Da Nang are invested more and more to meet the increasing number of visitors to the city. As of July 2024, there are about 1,297 tourist accommodation establishments with 46,035 rooms in the city (an increase of 117 establishments with 4,035 rooms compared to the same period in 2023). They include 104 establishments with 20,358 rooms rated four- and five-star; and 1,193 establishments with 25,677 rooms rated 3-star and lower.

With synchronous investment in tourism, especially international festivals and tourism products, Da Nang is affirming its outstanding socio-economic growth. According to Da Nang Department of Tourism, in the first six months of the year, the total number of visitors staying in the city reached 5.1 million, including 2 million international visitors, an increase of more than 40% compared to 2023.

Dining and accommodation service revenue reached nearly 13 trillion VND, an increase of 22.2% compared to 2023. The city's economy expanded 8.35% in the second quarter of 2024, and 5% in the first half of this year.

Ba Na Hills attracts a large number of visitors to Da Nang every summer

Da Nang strives to attract more than 8 million visitors in 2024, 6% higher than last year, completely recovering to the peak level recorded in 2019. With the cooperation of the government, businesses and people, this goal is considered within reach, paving the way to realise the city’s goal to become one of the major socio-economic hubs of the country and Southeast Asia by 2030.

When the specialised policy for Da Nang is implemented and Da Nang successfully builds Vietnam's first free trade zone, Da Nang’s growth will be strongly accelerated. Under the Politburo’s Resolution 43 with a vision to 2045, Da Nang city strives to become a big ecological and smart urban area, a startup and innovation hub, and a livable coastal city in Asia./.

VNA