Vietnam's Da Nang aims to extend international tourist stays, boost spending

The issue was discussed at the Da Nang International Tourism Festival 2026 on Sunday, which brought together more than 300 tourism service providers and 550 domestic and international buyers for business networking activities, according to the Da Nang Tourism Association.

Although the number of foreign tourists visiting Da Nang has risen steadily for years, the length of stay remains a concern, with international visitors staying for an average of less than two days per trip over the first nine months of 2026.

The challenge is to give foreign travelers more reasons to stay beyond the familiar offerings of beaches, sightseeing and shopping.

This suggests that the potential to increase tourism revenue lies not only in attracting more visitors but also in encouraging them to stay longer.

For holidaymakers, familiar activities such as swimming, sightseeing and shopping are unlikely to add many days to their stays without new experiences.

Meanwhile, different visitor markets have different needs.

The central Vietnamese city is therefore seeking to increase tourism revenue by developing products tailored to different international markets and linking more experiences into longer itineraries.

South Korea remained the city's largest international visitor market, followed by China and India.

South Korean visitors are also an important market for resort holidays and golf, while Indian tourists offer potential for wedding tourism, conferences and family trips.

Visitors from Russia and other Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries are promising markets for longer stays combining beach holidays with wellness services.

Da Nang recorded nearly 175,000 rounds of golf in the first half of 2026, up 5.6 percent year on year, while 101 MICE groups brought more than 28,400 visitors to the city during the same period.

The city also hosted 28 international wedding events and provided consultation services for them.

Arrivals from Russia and other CIS countries exceeded 411,000 in the first eight months of 2026, up 94.2 percent year on year.

These figures point to opportunities to attract different visitor groups with products tailored to their interests, rather than offering similar itineraries to all travelers.

Da Nang also plans to combine its existing tourism offerings into more comprehensive itineraries for international visitors.

Ho Ky Minh, standing vice-chairman of the Da Nang administration, said the city aimed to shift its focus from increasing foreign visitor numbers to improving travel experiences, extending stays and boosting spending.

The strategy involves linking beach tourism with golf, cuisine, cultural attractions, heritage sites and wellness services, while connecting Da Nang with Hoi An, Hue and other destinations in central Vietnam.

These connections could give visitors more activities to enjoy and more reasons to spend on experiences beyond accommodation and sightseeing.

International travel companies have also expressed interest in craft village experiences and itineraries covering multiple destinations.

However, Cao Thi Ngoc Lan, standing vice-chairwoman of the Vietnam Tourism Association, said natural attractions alone were not enough to make a destination competitive.

Tourism businesses needed to strengthen market connections, offer comprehensive service packages and create distinctive experiences, she said.

She also stressed that business meetings should lead to cooperation agreements, commercial contracts and concrete commitments to bring international visitors to destinations.

Cao Tri Dung, chairman of the Da Nang Tourism Association, urged businesses to study the needs of individual markets more closely and develop suitable products instead of simply promoting existing services.

The success of tourism promotion should therefore be measured not just by the number of business contacts made, but also by how many visitors those connections ultimately bring to the city, he said.