TWO WEEKS, TWO NEW DRIVERS FOR DA NANG: FROM CINEMA TO FINANCE AND TECH

In less than two weeks, Da Nang has consecutively become the focus of the entire country with two events of national and international stature.

From the 4th Da Nang Asian Film Festival (DANAFF IV) taking place from June 28 to July 4, 2026, to the Da Nang Business, Finance and Technology Week 2026 (DBFTW 2026) taking place from July 7–12, 2026, the coastal city has shown a new face: not only a leading resort destination in Vietnam but also step-by-step becoming a regional hub for culture, knowledge economy, and innovation.

If DANAFF IV brings a Da Nang of cinema, art, and creativity, then DBFTW 2026 opens up an image of a Da Nang of international finance, semiconductors, artificial intelligence, and high technology.

At DANAFF IV, the city was honored to welcome Politburo Member and Vice President Vo Thi Anh Xuan, Member of the Party Central Committee and Deputy Prime Minister Pham Thi Thanh Tra, leaders of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism, along with numerous filmmakers, artists, and film experts from Vietnam and many countries in the region. This year’s film festival continues to affirm the orientation of making Da Nang the “Cinema City of Asia”, where cinema not only serves culture but also becomes an industry and an effective tool for destination promotion.

Immediately after the final frames closed, Da Nang welcomed Member of the Party Central Committee and Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Van Thang to attend the Da Nang Business, Finance and Technology Week 2026. During a week that gathered policymakers, experts, investors, and businesses, major topics such as the Vietnam International Financial Center in Da Nang, innovation, AI, semiconductors, high technology, and global city were discussed, expressing the aspiration to make Da Nang a new growth pole for Vietnam.

Notably, both of these important weeks were held at the Furama International Convention Center and the Ariyana Convention Centre Danang. This is not only the pride of the Furama – Ariyana ecosystem but also a testament to Da Nang’s capacity to organize large-scale events, meeting strict requirements for diplomacy, security, communication, and logistics. From APEC 2017 to DANAFF, and now DBFTW, the Furama – Ariyana complex continues to play the role of the city’s “international living room.”

Looking more broadly, these two weeks took place in the context of the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF) 2026, which is creating a strong attraction for millions of domestic and international visitors. Three consecutive major events have created a rare value chain.

DIFF brings in mass tourists, boosting consumption, accommodation, cuisine, and services.

DANAFF builds the image of a cultural and creative city and develops the Film Economy – where every film, every artist, and every frame contributes to promoting the destination.

DBFTW targets business travelers, investors, technology and finance experts, expanding the Da Nang brand on the global economic map.

The three events do not compete but complement each other, helping the city both increase immediate tourism revenue and enhance brand value and attract long-term investment.

This is also the development trend of many successful cities in the world. Cannes is famous not only for its beautiful beaches but also for the Cannes Film Festival. Davos is known for the World Economic Forum. Singapore builds its brand with the Singapore FinTech Festival and Formula 1. Today, Da Nang is step-by-step forming a similar model by combining culture, tourism, finance, technology, and MICE into an event ecosystem throughout the year.

For the tourism industry, this is a very important change. Instead of just depending on seasonal leisure travelers, Da Nang is expanding into high-value-added segments such as MICE travelers, film industry professionals, investors, technology experts, and business travelers. These are groups with high spending levels, longer stays, and they create many opportunities for cooperation, investment, as well as high-quality jobs for the locality.

Perhaps the most encouraging thing is that Da Nang is gradually shifting from the mindset of “organizing events” to “building an event economy” (Event Economy). When international events are held continuously, the city is not just selling hotel rooms or sightseeing tickets, but also selling its image, brand, investment opportunities, and confidence in a dynamic, creative, and integrated urban area.

And if DANAFF is an affirmation that Da Nang can become the cinema city of Asia, then DBFTW 2026 shows that the city is also aiming for a bigger goal: becoming the meeting point for finance, technology, and innovation of Vietnam and the region. That is the long-term value that these two consecutive weeks bring to Da Nang today and for the city’s future for many years to come.