In recent years, a clearer trend has gradually emerged in the way Đà Nẵng develops tourism. The city no longer seeks only to welcome more visitors, but to attract the right groups of travelers. These are people willing to stay longer, spend on quality experiences, and carry stories about the city with them when they leave. This is also why the Da Nang Asian Film Festival (DANAFF) should be viewed through a different lens. It is not merely a cultural event, but an important piece in the city’s strategy to reshape the face of its tourism.

Đà Nẵng is shifting toward high-quality tourism

To understand why DANAFF matters, it is necessary to place it in the right context. In the Resolution of the City Party Congress for the 2025–2030 term, Đà Nẵng identifies the goal of becoming a “cultural center and a center for regional and international events”, while positioning high-quality tourism as one of its key strengths to be developed, closely associated with three core elements: the sea, culture, and spirituality.

In reality, the figures clearly reflect this shift. In 2025, Đà Nẵng welcomed more than 17.3 million overnight visitors, including over 7.6 million international arrivals, an increase of 25% compared to 2024. Revenue from accommodation, food and beverage, and travel services reached nearly VND 60,000 billion, up more than 21% year on year. In 2026, the city aims to serve more than 19 million visitors and achieve revenue of around VND 70,000 billion.

Đà Nẵng aims to welcome more than 19 million overnight visitors in 2026, with a clear priority on high-quality travelers and cultural experiences (Source: Internet)

However, growth figures are only one part of the picture. What is more noteworthy is the direction of that growth. Cao Trí Dũng, Chairman of the Đà Nẵng Tourism Association, once emphasized that the city needs to focus on resort travelers, visitors seeking local cultural experiences, as well as the MICE, golf, and wedding tourism segments. Vice Chairwoman of the Đà Nẵng People’s Committee Nguyễn Thị Anh Thi also clearly identified the priority of attracting international markets with high spending power and longer stays, such as Northeast Asia, Europe, Australia, India, and the Middle East. To achieve this, the city is placing its bet on major cultural events, with DANAFF among its top priorities.

What is DANAFF in this bigger picture?

A film festival organized at the right level does not only generate revenue during the few days it takes place. Its impact spreads much further: hotels have another reason to fill rooms, restaurants and local services are pulled into the momentum, conference and creative spaces become more vibrant, and most importantly, the city gains another story to appear on the international media map.

Yet perhaps its deeper value lies elsewhere. Đà Nẵng does not simply need more visitors; it needs the right visitors: those willing to spend on quality experiences, stay longer, and bring stories about the city with them when they leave. This is exactly the group that cultural and artistic tourism can reach, if developed in a systematic and consistent way over time.

DANAFF IV (28 June – 4 July 2026) is the clearest example of that. This year’s festival gathers more than 1,000 delegates, artists, and filmmakers from many Asian and international countries. Hollywood producer Bill Mechanic, associated with works such as “Titanic” and the “Star Wars” film series, received the Cinema Achievement Award here and personally led a masterclass on film production for young Vietnamese filmmakers. This is the type of event that not only attracts visitors, but also draws international media, creative investors, and professional communities from different film industries — people who tend to stay longer, spend on premium services, and return multiple times.

Film screenings and exchanges with artists help bring audiences closer to cinema

Cinema as a tool for destination positioning

In many cities around the world, film festivals have proven their ability to become powerful tools for destination positioning. Cannes is no longer just a seaside resort town; Venice is not only known for its canals. Their names are so closely linked to cinema that their festivals have become part of their identity, and that identity attracts visitors not only seasonally, but throughout the year.

Đà Nẵng is, of course, on a different journey and at a much earlier stage. But the direction is clear. Deputy Prime Minister Phạm Thị Thanh Trà, speaking at the opening ceremony of DANAFF IV, stated that after only a short period, the festival has quickly built its reputation, becoming a bridge between Vietnamese cinema and the region while making a positive contribution to the process of international integration. Vice Chairwoman of the Đà Nẵng People’s Committee Nguyễn Thị Anh Thi also noted that the festival is not only a cinematic event, but also holds strategic significance in the process of building the city’s cultural brand.

This aligns with the long-term direction identified by the Politburo: by 2030, Đà Nẵng is to become “one of the country’s cultural and sports centers and a center for regional and international events”. In 2026, the city is implementing more than 50 large-scale events and festivals, with DANAFF being one of the priority events advised and organized by the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

Cultural tourism needs time to create accumulated value

One important difference between cultural tourism and ordinary festival tourism is its cumulative nature. Fireworks festivals create a wave, and then the wave fades. Cultural tourism builds layers of recognition, adding another layer each year to the image of the destination.

DANAFF is moving along that path. DANAFF Talents — a project incubator for young Asian filmmakers — received more than 350 applications this year, with projects from Japan, South Korea, Bangladesh, Kyrgyzstan, and ASEAN countries. Outstanding projects will continue to be developed in Thailand and France in the second half of 2026. This means that the name Đà Nẵng — and DANAFF itself — will continue to be mentioned in conversations about Asian cinema in spaces that extend beyond the boundaries of the event.

DANAFF Talents 2026 received more than 350 project applications from young filmmakers in Vietnam and across Asia

On the city’s side, its tourism development strategy is also adding more culture-based products, such as the Hội An–Mỹ Sơn Heritage Route, nighttime shows including Ký Ức Hội An and Áo Dài Show, along with plans to begin construction of the Ngũ Hành Sơn Historical and Cultural Park. These products and DANAFF do not exist separately; together, they are building the cultural tourism ecosystem that Đà Nẵng is aiming for.

Where is Đà Nẵng on this journey?

Answering this question is not easy, nor should it be rushed. However, several positive signs can already be observed: DANAFF has been maintained for four consecutive editions and has expanded in scale each year; the city has officially included the festival in its list of key events to be effectively organized in its annual plan; and more international media outlets are placing Đà Nẵng on the map of Asia’s cinematic destinations.

Of course, for DANAFF to truly become a sustainable pillar of the city’s cultural tourism, much more is needed than four well-organized editions. It requires long-term film infrastructure, deeper connections with the local community, and a story that is told consistently and repeated long enough to become embedded in visitors’ awareness. But that starting point is something Đà Nẵng already has.

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