How DIFF Became a Major Driver of Da Nang Tourism

A record-breaking total of more than 2.72 million overnight visitors to Da Nang in just over a month, alongside DIFF’s first-ever recognition among the world’s nine most worthwhile festivals to experience, demonstrates the remarkable potential of a tourism product built through strategic and sustained investment.

Unprecedented Appeal

The Da Nang International Fireworks Festival DIFF 2026, jointly organised by the Da Nang People’s Committee and Sun Group, concluded on the evening of July 11 with a spectacular showdown between Portugal and China. The finale marked the largest and most far-reaching edition in the festival’s history in terms of scale, visitor numbers and overall impact.

According to figures released by the Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism on July 12, accommodation establishments across the city served more than 2.72 million guests during DIFF 2026, from May 30 to July 11, an increase of nearly 45% compared with the 2025 festival season.

The record figure reflects DIFF’s significant development following years of investment in its scale, content and visitor experience. From a relatively small fireworks competition, the event has been transformed into an extended summer festival capable of attracting a continuous flow of visitors for more than a month.

Across the six competition days alone, Da Nang welcomed approximately 688,500 visitors. On July 11, the festival’s closing day, accommodation establishments served 131,000 guests, up 16% year on year.

Notably, international visitor numbers on the final day reached 52,400, an increase of 27%, while domestic visitor numbers rose by nearly 10% to 78,600. With international arrivals growing almost three times faster than domestic tourism, the figures provide further evidence of DIFF’s increasing global appeal and reinforce its place among the world’s nine most worthwhile festivals to experience, as recognised by Travel Leisure.

Hotel occupancy rates also clearly reflected the intensity of demand generated by the event. On the final night, hotels in central areas including Hai Chau, Hoa Cuong, Son Tra, An Hai and Ngu Hanh Son recorded occupancy rates of 95–98%, the highest level seen during four consecutive DIFF editions since 2023.

The surge in visitor numbers was accompanied by a corresponding rise in air travel demand. On July 10 and 11, Da Nang handled 365 domestic and international flights, up 8% compared with the same period in 2025. Across the six fireworks nights and the surrounding days, the city recorded more than 1,900 flights, an increase of 7%, equivalent to an average of 163 flights per day.

These figures show that DIFF has generated a continuous flow of visitors before, during and after each competition night, helping sustain hotel occupancy, flight frequencies and service-sector activity throughout the summer.

They also reflect DIFF’s clear transformation since Sun Group began partnering with the Da Nang authorities in organising the festival. After 17 years, DIFF 2026 continued to expand the number of competition nights and introduced an especially elaborate artistic programme staged beneath the largest arched stage structure in DIFF’s history, with performances by some of Vietnam’s leading artists.

The awards programme was also expanded to celebrate a broader range of performance styles, while further enhancing the competitiveness and appeal of the festival.

This success highlights the effectiveness of the public-private partnership model, in which the city plays an enabling role while businesses such as Sun Group contribute resources, organisational expertise and an integrated ecosystem of products capable of creating iconic tourism experiences and transforming the festival into a long-term driver of tourism development.

Having accompanied DIFF for 17 years, Nadia Shakira Wong, CEO of Global 2000 and an adviser to the DIFF 2026 judging panel, said the festival had become increasingly professional and was now an icon of Da Nang.

“Whenever people mention this city, they immediately think of DIFF. Vietnam is currently the only country with a fireworks festival supported by a comprehensive ‘360-degree ecosystem’ integrating music, culture and complementary services,” Wong said.

Revitalising the Entire Tourism Ecosystem

Beyond its spectacular celebrations of music and light, DIFF’s greatest value lies in its ability to attract visitors to Da Nang, encourage them to stay longer and inspire them to experience a wider range of products and services.

A fireworks performance typically occupies only a few hours of a visitor’s itinerary. During the remainder of their stay, travellers spend time relaxing, discovering local cuisine, visiting cafés, shopping, exploring cultural attractions or enjoying major entertainment destinations.

Sun World Ba Na Hills, for example, is often selected as a full-day experience. Its cool mountaintop climate, cable car system, iconic Golden Bridge, enchanting French Village and diverse programme of artistic performances offer visitors an experience entirely different from the vibrant atmosphere along the Han River on fireworks nights.

Beyond Ba Na Hills, visitors are also drawn to the Son Tra Peninsula, the Marble Mountains, My Khe Beach, local markets, restaurants, riverside cafés and the city’s expanding nightlife and entertainment venues. As a result, the economic benefits generated by DIFF extend across transport, accommodation, food and beverage, retail, leisure and entertainment.

This reflects the broader strategy pursued by Da Nang: positioning major events as integral links within the value chain of the cultural industries and developing events such as DIFF into an economic sector capable of creating added value, employment and long-term competitiveness.

Nguyen Thi Anh Thi, Vice Chairwoman of the Da Nang People’s Committee and Head of the DIFF 2026 Organising Committee, previously stated: “Through DIFF, Da Nang expects to develop a professional event ecosystem connecting culture, tourism, entertainment and the night-time economy.”

With each fireworks season, Da Nang continues to consolidate its position as a “city of festivals”, where performances in the sky have the power to revitalise the entire tourism ecosystem.