From January 27 to 30, 2026, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Da Nang City organized a series of tourism promotion activities in the Philippines, aiming to further enhance destination marketing and strengthen Da Nang’s presence in this Southeast Asian market—one of the city’s fastest-growing source markets in recent years.
The program included the Da Nang Tourism Promotion Program in Cebu, participation in the ASEAN Tourism Forum – TRAVEX 2026, and a series of business networking meetings with airlines and travel companies in Manila.
The Da Nang Tourism Promotion Program took place on January 27, 2026, in Cebu, with the participation of representatives from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism (Da Nang Tourism Promotion Center) and 10 accompanying tourism enterprises, including Sun Group, Vinpearl JSC, Hyatt Regency Da Nang Resort & Spa, Ao Dai Show, Visit Indochina, Venus Travel, Omega Tours, Hanoi Fairtours, Cebu Pacific Air, and New Orient Hotel.
The event was attended by H.E. Mr. Lai Thai Binh, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to the Philippines; Mr. Nguyen Quy Phuong, Head of the International Relations and Tourism Promotion Division, Viet Nam National Authority of Tourism; representatives of Mactan–Cebu International Airport; and over 100 representatives from tourism associations and travel companies in Cebu, Philippines.
In his welcoming remarks, Ambassador Lai Thai Binh emphasized that economic cooperation, including tourism cooperation between Viet Nam and the Philippines, has achieved new and substantive breakthroughs, making important contributions to strengthening and developing the Viet Nam–Philippines Strategic Partnership. Looking ahead to 2026 and beyond, the Ambassador highlighted the significant potential for further cooperation between local authorities and businesses of both countries, particularly between Da Nang and Cebu, thereby contributing to the spirit of ASEAN solidarity during the Philippines’ ASEAN Chairmanship. With a people- and business-centered approach, the Ambassador reaffirmed the role of the Vietnamese Embassy as a bridge and active partner, committed to working closely with relevant stakeholders to transform ideas into concrete cooperation projects.
At the event, representatives of the Da Nang Tourism Promotion Center, together with participating enterprises, introduced Da Nang’s new tourism offerings, market potential, and signature products, presenting the city as an expanded, open destination with a diverse tourism ecosystem. Key highlights included heritage and cultural tourism, beach and resort tourism, entertainment, culinary experiences, major festivals and events in 2026, as well as promotional programs targeting MICE tourism, wedding tourism, and initiatives to attract KOLs and KOCs to Da Nang.
The program recorded nearly 1,000 B2B meetings and business transactions between tourism enterprises from Da Nang and Viet Nam and more than 100 Philippine travel partners, contributing to strengthened cooperation in visitor exchange and discussions on the potential launch of a direct Cebu – Da Nang air route in the near future.
From January 28 to 30, 2026, the Da Nang tourism delegation continued its activities by participating in the ASEAN Tourism Forum – TRAVEX 2026 at the Mactan Expo Center, Cebu. ATF TRAVEX is one of the largest tourism trade events in ASEAN, bringing together more than 1,500 international delegates, including over 350 buyers and 350 sellers from various countries and territories.
Da Nang Tourism participated within the Vietnam National Tourism Pavilion, conducting 36 scheduled business appointments with international buyers in key segments such as beach resorts, heritage and cultural tourism, MICE, golf, and wedding tourism, from markets including Southeast Asia, Europe, Australia, the United States, and Russia. Many partners expressed strong interest in Da Nang’s tourism products and destination offerings, opening up opportunities for future visitor exchange and cooperation.
In addition, on January 30, 2026, the Da Nang delegation held working sessions with nearly 25 partners in Manila, including representatives from tourism associations, airlines, and travel companies. During these meetings, the Da Nang Tourism Promotion Center, together with tourism enterprises, provided updates on Da Nang’s tourism development, new tourism products, the 2026 event and festival calendar, and the city’s visitor attraction policies.
Representatives of Cebu Pacific Air shared updates on the operation of the Manila – Da Nang route, while Philippines AirAsia introduced plans to launch a direct Manila – Da Nang service with a frequency of four flights per week, scheduled to commence on March 20, 2026. The discussions focused on opportunities for joint promotion, market connectivity, and tourism product development, aiming to further enhance visitor flows between the Philippines and Da Nang.
The organization of the Da Nang Tourism Promotion Program in Cebu, participation in ATF TRAVEX 2026, and business networking activities in Manila is expected to significantly enhance destination awareness of Da Nang in the Philippine market, expand the network of partners, strengthen tourism and aviation cooperation, and attract an increasing number of Philippine visitors to Da Nang in the coming period.
The Philippines is currently one of Da Nang’s fastest-growing source markets. In 2025, Da Nang welcomed 165,698 visitors from the Philippines, representing a 2.5-fold increase compared to 2024. At present, Cebu Pacific Air and Philippine Airlines operate direct Manila – Da Nang flights with a total frequency of 17 flights per week. From March 2026, Philippines AirAsia is expected to launch direct flights on this route with four flights per week, further strengthening air connectivity and providing strong momentum for the continued growth of visitor arrivals from the Philippine market.
DANANG TOURISM PROMOTION CENTER
