Hanoi (VNA)💝 – The tourism industry is gradually painting an image of a colourful Vietnam with four vibrant festival seasons, as various culture weeks and months and festivals organised year round across the country have drawn a large number of both domestic and foreign tourists.

At the closing night of the 2024 Ho Chi Minh City River Festival, the sky in the southern metropolis was lit up by over 1,000 drones which created a spectacular display that drew thousands of spectators to the banks of the Saigon river. Observing the performance from the rooftop of a restaurant in Thu Duc City’s Thao Dien area, Jonny Buckley, 33, from England, expressed his surprise, saying that the festival is very fascinating and Vietnam could expand its scale, making it even more attractive and renowned. Before the festival, the city organised a wide range of events such as the Ho Chi Minh City Ao Dai Festival, the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Day, the Ho Chi Minh City International Film Festival, the Vietnamese “Banh mi” Festival, and the upcoming HCMC International Music Festival. Chairman of the municipal People's Committee Phan Van Mai recently said that the city will organise a series of events lasting from 1 to 2 weeks every month, transforming it into a city of festivals. Domestic and international tourists have also flocked to central Da Nang city to enjoy breathtaking performances at the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF), which kicked off on June 8.

The annual event has helped Da Nang build the ‘Fireworks Festival City’ brand and promote itself as a top destination in central Vietnam and Asia. Each festival attracts more than 1 million tourists, creating millions of US dollars in revenue for the city’s tourism industry, according to organisers. In addition to the DIFF, Da Nang hosts 20 - 30 festivals each year, creating a lively and vibrant atmosphere of an energetic destination. With its rich cultural heritage and history, the central province of Thua Thien-Hue is also striving to become a festival city by implementing the four-season festival initiative with a series of festive activities throughout the year. Tourists can easily explore a plethora of unique traditional cultural features of Vietnam through a wide range of festivals across the country in all months of the year. According to the latest report from the Department of Tourism of HCM City, the consecutive festivals and events organised since early this year have attracted a large number of domestic and international tourists, contributing to stimulating domestic tourism demand. As of June this year, HCM City welcomed nearly 2.7 million international travelers and over 17.1 million domestic tourists, up 38% and 4.4% year-on-year, respectively, raking in 92.6 trillion VND (over 3.6 billion USD). Statistics from restaurants and hotels in Ho Chi Minh City downtown also show that their revenues during festivals increase sharply compared to those on normal days. Meanwhile, according to a survey by Booking.com, one of the largest travel e-commerce sites in the world, Da Nang retains the leading position and the most searched domestic destination status this summer. One of the reasons pointed out is thanks to the DIFF 2024 and its festive environment./.