From light festival to urban economic engine

VHO - Spending millions of dollars on each international fireworks season is a headache for many major cities around the world. However, mobilizing private resources not only helps share the budget burden but is also a key factor in elevating festivals.

Da Nang is a typical example of an effective public-private partnership model, turning a fireworks event into a strategic driving force for tourism, night-time economy and city branding.

When businesses join forces, festivals flourish

In many countries, the model of private enterprises sponsoring and organizing fireworks festivals is no longer new. The Seoul International Fireworks Festival (Korea) is invested in and organized by Hanwha Group every year, attracting more than 1 million visitors, bringing in large revenues for the tourism and retail industries in the city.

In the Philippines, the PIPC fireworks competition initiated by La Mancha Group International has also helped Manila become an attractive holiday destination, leading to a boom in tourism, hotel and food service spending.

In Vietnam, the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF) is a testament to the prominent role of private enterprises in creating large-scale festivals.

DIFF 2025 witnessed an explosion in visitor numbers and revenue, with more than 1.88 million visitors, an increase of 26% compared to DIFF 2024 season.

Of the 13 editions, 6 DIFF seasons were co-organized by Sun Group. During these 6 years, Da Nang not only shared the financial burden - up to hundreds of billions of VND each season - but also made its mark with remarkable progress in terms of scale, quality and image spread.

DIFF 2025 has risen to become one of the largest fireworks festivals in the world, with a duration of two months, 6 performance nights, 8-10 fireworks teams from different countries and a series of accompanying events such as music festivals, street performances, art exhibitions...

From a playground without a grandstand in 2008, the festival now owns a grandstand system of up to 10,200 seats, a stage of more than 1,600m², international standard sound and lighting technology, and a professional logistics system serving competing teams from all continents.

The "million dollar" festival brings in millions of visitors and billions in revenue

Not just a “light show”, DIFF has become a “trigger” to stimulate the city’s economy and tourism. In DIFF 2025 alone, Da Nang welcomed more than 1.88 million visitors, an increase of 26% compared to the previous festival season; of which international visitors reached nearly 770,000. Revenue from the accommodation, food and beverage, and travel sectors reached VND5,600 billion - nearly double that of DIFF 2024.

The resounding success of DIFF also helped Da Nang to be twice honored as “Asia’s Leading Festival and Event Destination” by the World Travel Awards (2016 and 2023). Not only domestic tourists but also international friends were impressed by this event.

Indian Ambassador to Vietnam - Mr. Sandeep Arya commented: “The quality and scale of the Da Nang Fireworks Festival is growing. I believe that DIFF is gradually becoming a major attraction for international tourism, especially for Indian tourists, when this city already has beautiful landscapes, luxury resorts and heritage sites like Hoi An.”

The Da Nang International Fireworks Festival is also a typical model, with the participation of local authorities and investment from the private economy.

According to Ms. Nadia Shakira Wong - CEO of Global 2000, DIFF 2025 has reached the scale of the world's largest fireworks festival and can completely be registered in the Guinness Book of Records.

“To have a festival of global stature, we need strong investors like Sun Group and support from the government. This combination is a prerequisite for creating sustainable success,” Ms. Nadia Shakira Wong affirmed.

From entertainment event to strategic axis of city development

The Da Nang International Fireworks Festival is now not only an art and entertainment event, but has been positioned as the center of the city's night-time economic development strategy and tourism and trade ecosystem.

From DIFF, satellite activities such as art shows, music festivals, night cruise tours, street food experiences, cultural exhibitions... are strongly launched, creating long-term attraction for tourists.

According to Sun Group, the unit not only organizes the festival but also creates a synchronous event ecosystem. The series of activities at Da Nang Downtown, a series of performances at Sun World Ba Na Hills, preferential resort packages during the fireworks... have contributed to making DIFF a "must-see" highlight during the Central region's summer tourist season.

Recently, Da Nang city has officially approved the land auction plan to implement the International Fireworks Festival Complex project, with a total estimated investment of up to 10,750 billion VND. This project promises to elevate Da Nang to become the "world's fireworks destination".

DIFF is becoming a big attraction for international tourists, including tourists from India.

Vice Chairwoman of Da Nang People's Committee Nguyen Thi Anh Thi affirmed: "In the next 5 years, DIFF will not only be an annual event, but will become a strategic driving force to promote the night-time economy, tourism and the city's brand." To realize this expectation, the determination of the government and the support of private enterprises will continue to be the two most important pillars.

From a small competition on the Han River nearly two decades ago, fireworks have now become a symbol of a young, dynamic and ambitious city. With DIFF, Da Nang is gradually making its name on the global event map - not only with the bright lights in the night sky, but also with a long-term vision and consensus from both the government and businesses.

Source: https://baovanhoa.vn/du-lich/tu-le-hoi-anh-sang-den-dong-luc-kinh-te-do-thi-154493.html