THE SEMINAR “ORIENTATION FOR DA NANG TOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN THE NEW PHASE”

On the afternoon of October 17, 2025, at the Ariyana International Convention Center, Da Nang, the Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, in collaboration with the Da Nang Tourism Association and the Da Nang Tourism Promotion Fund, organized the seminar titled “Orientation for Da Nang Tourism Development in the New Phase.”

Photo 1: Overview of the seminar “Orientation for Da Nang Tourism Development in the New Phase” at the Ariyana International Convention Center, Da Nang.

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism Shares Strategic Directions for Vietnam and Da Nang Tourism Development

The seminar brought together more than 200 delegates, including leaders of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, Da Nang City authorities, representatives from departments, agencies, localities, experts and consultants in planning and tourism, as well as representatives from major corporations, airlines, travel agencies, accommodation providers, service suppliers, training institutions, and media organizations at both central and local levels.

Photo 2: Delegates attending the seminar on the afternoon of October 17, 2025.

In her opening remarks, Ms. Truong Thi Hong Hanh, Director of the Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, shared: “In the first nine months of 2025, local accommodation facilities served approximately 14.4 million visitors, up 22% compared to the same period in 2024, including 5.8 million international visitors (up 27.4%) and 8.6 million domestic visitors (up 19%). Revenue from accommodation, food and beverage, and travel services was estimated at VND 41 trillion, an increase of over 25% year-on-year (source: Da Nang Statistics Office). This positive result demonstrates the strong recovery of Da Nang’s tourism sector after the merger and its growing appeal to both domestic and international markets.”

She further noted that Da Nang is now entering a new development context that presents great opportunities yet also significant challenges in ensuring infrastructure synchronization and maintaining service quality across an expanded area. This reality calls for decisive and timely actions. She emphasized that now is the critical moment to adjust the city’s tourism development master plan and to seek practical solutions that can effectively leverage natural and cultural resources in alignment with Da Nang’s traditional values.

Photo 3: Ms. Truong Thi Hong Hanh, Director of the Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, delivering the opening remarks.

At the seminar, Mr. Nguyen Trung Khanh, Director General of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, discussed the development of Vietnam’s tourism industry and its strategic direction for the coming years. He stated: “The target for 2025 is to achieve a total tourism revenue of VND 1 quadrillion, a highly ambitious and challenging goal. While global tourism growth currently stands at 5% and Asia’s growth is only 1% according to UN Tourism (compared to the same period in 2024), Vietnam has recorded the highest growth rate globally—21%, a very encouraging signal for the national tourism industry. In the first nine months of the year, we have already achieved 61% of the targets set under Resolution 226/NQ-CP, and the fourth quarter will be a crucial period to complete the remaining tasks.”

Photo 4: Mr. Nguyen Trung Khanh, Director General of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, speaking at the seminar.

He emphasized that in this new phase, Da Nang continues to identify tourism as a key economic sector. In the post-COVID-19 context, with the rise of green tourism and digital transformation, the tourism industry faces the need to innovate operational strategies and enhance competitiveness within Southeast Asia.

To achieve these goals, Mr. Khanh proposed seven key orientations for Da Nang’s tourism development: (1) continue improving infrastructure and destination connectivity; (2) diversify tourism products to meet the needs of international visitors, prioritizing MICE, cultural, environmental, and rural tourism; (3) protect the environment and promote green, sustainable tourism; (4) accelerate digital transformation in destination promotion; (5) innovate content marketing and social media communication; (6) strengthen human resource training and standardization; and (7) expand supportive policies regarding taxation, land, and finance.

How Will Da Nang Tourism Develop After the Merger?

At the seminar, Mr. Tan Van Vuong, Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, assessed: “Da Nang has established itself as a growing international destination, showing strong recovery and flexibility after the pandemic. Following the merger, the city now enjoys expanded opportunities with an area ten times larger and significantly enriched tourism resources.”

Through data analysis, he reported that during 2020–2025, Da Nang’s tourism sector achieved impressive growth with 17.3 million visitors—four times higher than in 2020 – including 7.6 million international visitors, a tenfold increase. Total tourism revenue reached approximately VND 59 trillion, nearly 3.5 times higher than in 2020, with an average annual visitor growth rate of 37%. These figures reflect the strong recovery and breakthrough of Da Nang’s tourism industry, paving the way to meet its ambitious 2025 targets.

Photo 5: Mr. Tan Van Vuong, Deputy Director of the Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, presenting the city’s tourism growth results.

However, alongside these positive outcomes, he acknowledged that Da Nang tourism still faces numerous challenges. Global economic fluctuations, inflation, and geopolitical tensions continue to affect international travel demand. Climate change and extreme weather events pose additional threats to tourism activities. Increasing regional competition, a lack of distinctive tourism products, and key projects still in early development stages all present hurdles. Moreover, infrastructure remains uneven, and issues such as street vending and tourist solicitation in certain areas continue to impact Da Nang’s image and visitor experience.

To realize its development vision for the new phase, the Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism has identified key orientations and solutions focused on expanding green tourism spaces, developing resort, entertainment, and cultural–historical tourism areas; improving infrastructure and implementing strategic projects such as Lang Van, Nam O, Danang Downtown, and Ba Na – Suoi Mo, while enhancing regional connectivity to establish Da Nang as the gateway for international tourism in Central Vietnam and the Central Highlands.

At the same time, the Department prioritizes diversifying high-quality, sustainable tourism products, with a focus on marine, MICE, cultural–spiritual, wellness, and green tourism; accelerating digital transformation and destination promotion, expanding international markets, and improving service quality and human resources to affirm Da Nang’s position as a safe, friendly, and leading destination in the region.

Additionally, the seminar featured discussions on key topics such as: Da Nang’s tourism development orientation for 2025–2030 with a vision toward 2050; branding and market–product strategies; solutions to leverage heritage and local culture to develop distinctive tourism products; measures to enhance service quality and human resource capacity; and proposals for organizing cultural, sports, and tourism events and festivals to attract visitors.

The seminar aimed to comprehensively assess the state of Da Nang’s tourism after the merger; gather multi-dimensional, expert insights from policymakers, enterprises, and specialists; and establish a clear vision for the city’s future tourism development. Outcomes from the discussions will contribute to updating the new Da Nang Master Plan, formulating specific programs and investment policies, and fostering closer coordination among government agencies, businesses, and partners—collectively shaping a vibrant, resilient, and globally appealing Da Nang tourism industry.