Da Nang has long been a familiar destination for domestic tourists each summer, thanks to its advantageous beaches, tourism infrastructure, and diverse accommodation system. This year, the city continues to expand its product portfolio with a series of festivals spanning several months, notably the Da Nang International Fireworks Festival (DIFF), the Enjoy Da Nang festival, and numerous coastal art and sports programs. This series of events is expected to generate a continuous flow of visitors, rather than concentrating on specific peak periods as before.
Among these, sports events are gradually becoming a crucial component. This July, Da Nang will host two large-scale tournaments held one week apart.
On 19/7, the VnExpress Da Nang International Marathon Herbalife Cup 2026 will feature four distances: 5 km, 10 km, 21 km, and 42 km, utilizing coastal routes and the city's iconic bridges. The organizers recently introduced a race kit inspired by Da Nang and the Central region.
 |
Runner starting at the VnExpress Marathon Da Nang Midnight 2024 night race. *Photo: VnExpress Marathon*
The race jersey, themed "Breaking Green", features neon green and yellow hues symbolizing the energy of the coastal city. The medals draw inspiration from the Dragon Bridge and Love Bridge, while the 21 km and 42 km finisher shirts respectively recreate the beauty of the Han River at night and Hoi An's lantern lights. This is the first race in the VM system to feature a heart-shaped finisher medal.
One week later, on 26/7, Aquaman Vietnam will be held at Hoiana Resort & Golf, an integrated resort complex recognized as world-leading by the World Travel Awards for two consecutive years. Unlike traditional marathons, Aquaman combines ocean swimming and running, allowing athletes to stay directly at the resort. After competing, participants can explore Hoi An and nearby tourist attractions. Entrants receive an accommodation discount at Hoiana of approximately 2,3 million VND per room per night when registering for an individual bib, which is about 30% lower than the listed price.
From sports competition to resort experience
Unlike many types of events that only last a few hours, sports tournaments often extend the visitor experience from two to four days. Athletes typically arrive early to collect their bibs, participate in expos, familiarize themselves with the route, and spend additional time exploring the destination after the competition day.
 |
Athletes competing in the swimming segment at Aquaman Vietnam 2024. *Photo: VnExpress Marathon*
Beyond athletes, these events also attract family, friends, and accompanying clubs, creating demand for accommodation, dining, shopping, and transportation. The "race-cation" trend, combining running with a resort vacation, is therefore being seen by many localities as a new driver for tourism growth.
This trend has been validated in many places. In Binh Dinh, provincial leaders have identified VnExpress Marathon as the core of their sports tourism development strategy, expecting it to draw visitors outside the peak season. In TP HCM, according to the city's specialized report on night economy development, outdoor sports events generate additional visitor traffic for restaurants, cafes, and entertainment services after 22h.
With its advantageous beaches, scenic routes, diverse accommodation infrastructure, and short distance to Hoi An, Da Nang possesses all the conditions to leverage this model. Two consecutive events in July – one urban coastal race and one resort sports event – create two distinct experiences, yet both target the same customer segment: those willing to pay more and stay longer for serious sports competition.
Thy An
