Vietnam seeks to make nighttime experiences a bigger part of tourism

The Politburo’s Resolution 26-NQ/TW sets a target for tourism to directly contribute 10-12 percent of GDP by 2030, with Vietnam aiming to welcome 45-50 million international visitors and 160 million domestic travelers.

The resolution also calls for a shift from pursuing visitor numbers to improving quality, efficiency and sustainability while developing creative and distinctive tourism experiences.

From more experiences to greater value

In Ho Chi Minh City, travel businesses see nighttime tourism as an opportunity to extend visitors’ experiences and encourage them to spend more.

Nighttime arts, culinary programs, heritage tours and entertainment activities can become key parts of travel itineraries when they are professionally organized.

Chao Show, launched in 2025, combines performing arts and cuisine in a 90-minute experience featuring traditional Vietnamese music presented in a contemporary style alongside dishes representing the country’s three regions.

Le Hang, operations director of Dau An Show Co. Ltd., said the show was created amid a shortage of nighttime arts performances following the COVID-19 pandemic.

The challenge, she said, was to preserve Vietnamese cultural elements while making the show accessible to modern audiences.

After about a year and a half, the organizers have continued adjusting the program based on audience feedback.

Building tours around nighttime offerings

Tony Hung Tran, director of inbound tourism at Golden Smile Travel, said the challenge is to turn the city’s nighttime offerings into seamless, safe and compelling experiences that international visitors are willing to pay for.

Ho Chi Minh City has plenty of nighttime activities, but not all of them can be turned into products for international visitors.

Such products need a story, a strong local identity and professional organization, he said.

“We do not want to simply take visitors to dinner and then for a walk. We need to create an itinerary with a beginning, a climax and emotions,” Tony said.

Nighttime cultural and arts products can add value to tours, extend visitors’ experiences and help differentiate destinations.

Because shows and other activities usually follow fixed schedules, travel companies can build them into itineraries and combine them with dining, shopping and entertainment.

“They don’t just want to see Vietnam, they want to experience Vietnam,” Tony said.

However, integrating nighttime products into tours requires careful planning of travel times, pickup and drop-off arrangements, traffic, parking, duration and inbound service standards.

Visitors want experiences that feel local but are delivered professionally, he said.

This requires standardizing tour guides, foreign-language services, hygiene, customer service, safety and storytelling.

Businesses and authorities also need to consider security, traffic, environmental impacts, noise, parking and contingency plans.

There is significant room for night tourism to grow.

The key question, Tony said, should no longer be “What do we do after 6:00 pm?” but rather “How can we turn the evening into the most memorable part of a Vietnam journey?”