To extend the stay and increase tourist spending.
In its strategy of diversifying products, extending the length of stay, and increasing tourist spending, Quang Ninh is gradually shaping a night tourism ecosystem with many new, modern, and distinctive experiences. While previously, tourism activities mainly ended after nightfall, now many localities in the province have become vibrant with a range of attractive entertainment, cultural, and artistic products.
A highlight is the night tour of the Quang Ninh Museum, offering a completely different perspective on the cultural landscape of this mining region. Under artistic lighting, visitors can not only discover valuable artifacts about the history of coal mining, maritime culture, and the lives of Quang Ninh residents, but also experience interactive activities, art performances, and storytelling using modern technology, creating a journey that is both educational and emotionally rich.
Furthermore, VUI-Fest Ha Long has quickly become a new hub for nighttime economic activity , recreating the bustling trading port atmosphere on the shores of the heritage bay. This complex brings together dozens of food stalls, shops, street art performances, interactive activities, 3D mapping technology demonstrations, and many entertainment experiences lasting from evening until late at night, contributing to a vibrant festival atmosphere throughout all four seasons.
A special highlight in Quang Ninh's night tourism product line is the regularly held artistic fireworks displays on the shores of Ha Long Bay. Mr. Nguyen Xuan Chien, Vice Chairman and General Director of Sun Group's Northern region, stated: "VUI-Fest Ha Long is a strategic tourism product within the Group's tourism ecosystem in Quang Ninh. The goal is to create a vibrant entertainment and festival space throughout all four seasons, increasing the length of stay and spending of tourists, thereby contributing to positioning Ha Long as the sleepless destination of Northern Vietnam."
In addition, the Halo Bay water show at Halong Marina urban area (Bai Chay ward), with its "harmony" of music, laser lights, water effects, and modern projection technology, is becoming an attractive entertainment product, drawing large numbers of tourists and families every evening. The harmonious combination of culture, art, technology, and entertainment is helping Quang Ninh's night tourism products form a continuous chain of experiences, meeting the increasingly diverse needs of domestic and international tourists.
It is evident that the positive impact of this attractive night-time tourism product line stems from Quang Ninh's clear and long-term strategic direction in its transition from "brown" to "green." In September 2023, Quang Ninh approved a pilot project for the development of the night-time economy in six (formerly) localities: Ha Long, Mong Cai, Cam Pha, Dong Trieu, Van Don, and Co To. The goal is not simply to extend the operating hours of services, but to create an economic ecosystem that operates after sunset, where culture, tourism, commerce, entertainment, and services together create new added value.
After more than two years of implementation, from large-scale art programs, pedestrian streets, night markets, yachting streets, culinary spaces, to health and wellness resort products, live performance shows... a "sleepless destination" is gradually taking shape in many key localities. Notably, this development not only creates more choices for tourists but also changes the mindset of tourism development. While previously the main goal was to attract as many tourists as possible, now the challenge is how to encourage each tourist to stay longer, experience more, and spend more. This is also the core value of the night economy.
One of the most prominent highlights of Quang Ninh's night-time economy is the vibrancy of its cultural and artistic activities. In 2025 alone, 19 spectacular art programs, attracting over 800,000 viewers, became a magnet for tourists. In just the first five months of 2026, a series of large-scale events were activated, such as the Quang Ninh Countdown - Welcoming the New Year 2026, "The Sound of a New Era," and especially the opening concert of the Ha Long Carnival 2026... creating strong waves of tourism stimulus.
It's worth noting that the value of these events lies not only in the number of attendees. When tens of thousands of people flock to a single location in the evening, the entire accompanying service chain benefits. Hotels are fully booked, restaurants are crowded, taxis, trams, and tourist boats operate at full capacity; souvenir shops, cafes, and shopping areas also extend their operating hours.
With continuously updated tourism products, in the first six months of 2026, Quang Ninh welcomed over 12.4 million visitors, a 3% increase compared to the same period in 2025; of which, international visitors are estimated at over 2.6 million. Total tourism revenue reached nearly 35,200 billion VND, a 21% increase compared to the same period in 2025.
Drivers of Tourism Industry Growth
Despite initial successes, Quang Ninh's night-time economy is still in its formative stages. The gap between potential and reality remains significant. Most night markets, pedestrian streets, and late-night eateries are still interspersed within existing residential areas. This creates a sharp conflict of interest: on one hand, there's the demand for lively atmosphere and large music parties from bars, pubs, and clubs; on the other hand, there's the need for quiet rest for the local community. The persistent pressure of waste disposal, noise pollution, encroachment on sidewalks and roads, and the risk of public order and security issues are also directly impacting the sustainability of this model.
In reality, nighttime is the "golden hour" for tourism, when international visitors tend to spend heavily on entertainment, shopping, and experiences. However, Quang Ninh still lacks a diverse and high-quality product ecosystem to translate this demand into commensurate revenue. While many destinations around the world have transformed nighttime into a "stage" for live shows, light festivals, museums open all night, or integrated entertainment complexes, most of Quang Ninh's products still focus on sightseeing, cuisine, shopping, and relaxation.
Many activities are similar, lacking differentiation and failing to deeply exploit the unique values of the heritage site. The current product structure is repetitive, mainly focusing on common goods, low-value souvenirs, and simple food and beverage items.
Meanwhile, the infrastructure supporting the night-time economy has not kept pace with development demands. Artistic lighting systems, parking lots, night-time public transportation, public restrooms, rest stops, and signage systems are still lacking and inconsistent. These are seemingly minor factors, but they determine the quality of the tourist experience. In particular, the night-time economy requires not only beautiful structures but also a flexible management mechanism. Many existing regulations are still designed for daytime activities, from business hours and service management to security and environmental conditions. This makes many businesses hesitant to invest in new, large-scale products or those operating beyond midnight.
Another limitation is the quality of human resources. The night-time economy primarily caters to groups of tourists seeking high-end experiences, especially international visitors. This requires a workforce with professional skills, foreign language proficiency, problem-solving abilities, and a modern service style. Meanwhile, many small businesses still operate based on experience, lacking professionalism and failing to meet tourist expectations.
The most important thing Quang Ninh is aiming for is not to open more late-night restaurants and bars, but to build a complete night-time economic ecosystem. Experience from many tourist centers around the world shows that the success of the night-time economy lies not in extending business hours, but in the ability to connect services into a continuous chain of experiences. Tourists can watch an art performance, then stroll along a pedestrian street, enjoy local cuisine, shop for characteristic products, experience a cruise, participate in entertainment activities, and return to their hotel at midnight, still feeling like their journey is not over. That is the model Quang Ninh needs to pursue.
The province's advantage lies in having all the necessary conditions for developing a night-time economy. Few localities simultaneously possess two World Heritage sites, a long coastline, thousands of islands, a modern transportation infrastructure, an international airport, a specialized passenger port, and a network of high-quality accommodation facilities like Quang Ninh.
On May 13, 2026, the Provincial People's Committee issued Decision No. 1625/QD-UBND approving the outline of the Project for the Development of Heritage Economy, Night Tourism Products, and Cultural Industry in Quang Ninh Province until 2030, with a vision to 2045. This is an important step demonstrating the province's efforts in perfecting mechanisms and policies, attracting investment, and developing unique products based on heritage, culture, and innovative technology.
At the conference summarizing the pilot project on developing the night-time economy in the province for the period 2023-2025, held last June, Mr. Bui Van Khang, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, requested relevant departments and agencies to review and improve mechanisms and policies to promote the development of the night-time economy in a systematic, effective, and sustainable manner; focusing on simplifying business conditions and researching and issuing appropriate incentive policies to attract businesses to invest and expand types of services and activities at night.
Accordingly, relevant sectors and units need to study, review, and integrate the content of the night-time economy into urban master plans, clearly defining isolated night-time economic complexes located far from residential areas but with convenient transportation connections. These areas need to be clearly divided into functional zones: duty-free shopping areas, concentrated food areas, and vibrant entertainment areas (bars, nightclubs) to thoroughly address noise conflicts and protect the living environment of local residents. In particular, it is necessary to orient the development of products with cultural depth, incorporating "heritage stories" into the culinary process, and building high-tech live performances linked to the magnificent landscapes of Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay.
The province will also develop mechanisms to attract strategic investors with international experience to create iconic products. These could include large-scale live water shows, digital light festivals, museums open at night, art streets, or integrated entertainment complexes operating 24 hours a day. These "unmissable" products will determine the competitiveness of the destination.
Alongside infrastructure and product investment, digital transformation should also be considered a pillar of the night-time economy, with cashless payment systems, digital maps, e-tickets, online service booking platforms, etc., contributing to improved experiences and increased management efficiency. Community participation in developing food streets, OCOP products, traditional craft villages, local cultural spaces, or folk performances not only creates additional livelihoods but also helps tourists clearly feel the identity of the mining region instead of just consuming generic services.
With its potential and valuable products created in the past, Quang Ninh is facing a strong opportunity for development. At that time, nighttime will no longer be a time for rest for a tourist city, but will become the "second shift" of the economy. And for Quang Ninh, each night illuminated by lights will not only provide memorable experiences for tourists, but also open up a new, sustainable, and highly competitive growth engine on its journey to becoming an international tourism hub of Vietnam.
Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/thuc-day-kinh-te-dem-phat-trien-3413512.html
