Create a culinary map to "retain" tourists.

With three key objectives for tourism development in 2025, Da Nang city is gradually implementing specific tasks, including adopting new approaches to create more attractive highlights and encourage tourists to stay longer. In 2025, the city aims to welcome and serve over 11.9 million visitors at accommodation establishments; total revenue from accommodation, food, and travel services is targeted to exceed 36,000 billion VND.

SinceMichelin GuideOfficially launched in Da Nang in June 2024, Da Nang became the third city in Vietnam to be recognized by this prestigious global culinary organization for its distinctive seafood and diverse regional cuisine. Currently, 36 restaurants and eateries in Da Nang have been honored by the Michelin Guide as "delicious and reasonably priced" Bib Gourmand 2024, one restaurant has been awarded a Michelin star, and one has received a Michelin Green Star. In early 2025, the city was proudly listed as an ideal destination for culinary tourism and digital nomads. Within Asia, the Michelin Guide has suggested Da Nang as one of the top 10 must-visit destinations in 2025 for food lovers and explorers.

As the first locality in the country to develop and implement the Da Nang Food Tour Culinary Passport program since the end of 2024, the city is now expanding this initiative with a stamp collection activity to exchange for many attractive gifts from March 28th to June 28th. During this period, Da Nang will issue 5,000 bilingual Culinary Passports with many attractive offers for tourists. The program not only provides information about local, regional, and international culinary destinations and specialties, but also creates engaging interactive experiences for visitors. Through the official website www.foodtourdanang.vn, tourists can access the Da Nang Digital Culinary Map with complete information on 400 reputable culinary destinations, Michelin-starred restaurants, and a diverse list of specialties to buy as gifts.

According to many tourists, Da Nang's cuisine has its own unique characteristics, with the rich flavors of the sunny and windy central region, setting it apart from the cuisines of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City.

Ms. Phan Hai Quynh Nga, a Vietnamese student studying in Japan and currently residing in Thanh Khe district, shared her thoughts after receiving her Culinary Passport at Da Nang International Airport and experiencing the cuisine at Madame Lan restaurant: “I am very happy that Quang noodles from my hometown have just been recognized as a National Intangible Cultural Heritage. For me, Quang noodles are the taste of home. Culinary culture has special significance for those of us who are far from home. Every time I return or when I miss home, my heart still yearns for dishes that are distinctly Vietnamese, even though I have traveled to many places and enjoyed many cuisines around the world.”

Da Nang Tourism Ambassador and Miss International 2024 Huynh Thi Thanh Thuy promotes Da Nang cuisine at the Da Nang Food Tour 2025.

Ms. Do Thi Yen, Director and owner of the Veranda Restaurant chain in Da Nang and Draft Beer, said: “Having been selected as a partner in the Da Nang Food Tour culinary passport program, we have carefully selected and introduced the most distinctive and unique dishes to create an unforgettable impression for diners. Participating in the Da Nang Digital Culinary Map is not only a recognition but also a motivation to improve service quality and contribute to promoting the unique value of Vietnamese cuisine on the world culinary map.”

Diversifying the food market

Currently, Da Nang is actively promoting its image as a leading culinary destination, a place where traditional local cuisine and international cuisine converge and intertwine. The city continuously organizes events such as the Culinary Passport campaign and the Food Festival, while also promoting digital transformation in the food industry. The city also focuses on connecting food establishments with technology solution providers such as iPOS and KiotViet to optimize business processes and enhance the customer experience. These efforts not only contribute to promoting the value of Vietnamese cuisine but also create an impetus to attract tourists to return to Da Nang.

The People's Committee of Da Nang City has issued a plan outlining the development orientation of tourism in Da Nang City until 2030, with a vision to 2045. This plan identifies cuisine as one of the strategic tourism products that needs to be prioritized for quality improvement and diversified, creative development. The city particularly focuses on developing local cuisine, Central Vietnamese cuisine, and the finest aspects of Vietnamese culinary art into distinctive tourism products. Each culinary product emphasizes authentic flavors, visual and taste appeal, and clearly reflects the regional characteristics.

Regarding the tourist market, Da Nang prioritizes developing domestic tourists from provinces and cities with direct flights such as Hanoi, Hai Phong, Quang Ninh province, the Red River Delta provinces, and Ho Chi Minh City.

For the international market, the city focuses on attracting high-spending segments such as leisure tourists, MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions), golf tourists, resort tourists, and wedding tourists from Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia, gradually expanding to explore new, potential markets in Western Europe, Russia, Australia, New Zealand, India, and the United States.

To become a prominent culinary destination, Da Nang has identified three main culinary tourism product groups: local cuisine, regional cuisine, and international cuisine. Each group is further developed into three segments: high-end culinary tourism products catering to discerning customers seeking premium experiences; street food tourism products rooted in traditional values; and cuisine products linked to rural agriculture, effectively utilizing local resources and contributing to sustainable livelihoods for the people.

With over 20 years of experience in the culinary industry as a head chef and currently working at the Sheraton Grand Danang Resort, Mr. Le Thanh Tai, Chairman of the Danang Professional Chefs Association, stated: "For a renowned tourist city like Danang, building a local brand through cuisine and developing dishes that reflect the region's unique identity plays a strategic role. Alongside improving service quality for domestic tourists, we are particularly focused on adapting to the needs of international visitors from emerging markets, including India. We have been striving to improve quality, ensure food safety and hygiene, diversify signature dishes, and strengthen linkages and cooperation between businesses to provide the best experience for tourists. The most crucial factor is developing the chef workforce and enhancing professionalism in food preparation to serve a diverse range of domestic and international guests," Mr. Tai emphasized.

Ms. Truong Thi Hong Hanh, Director of the Da Nang Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, affirmed: To develop cuisine into a unique tourism product, boost spending and attract tourists, the city has implemented many solutions simultaneously. We not only encourage businesses to improve service quality but also apply appropriate mechanisms and policies to develop cuisine into a distinctive tourism product of Da Nang. “In 2025, the city will successfully organize the Da Nang Food Tour 2025 for the first time, opening up opportunities to experience the culinary essence of Da Nang. This is an important event in the city's cultural and tourism activities, not only aiming to honor and promote the cultural value of local, regional and international cuisine, but also laying the foundation to develop it into an annual event, contributing to making Da Nang a leading culinary destination on the world tourism map,” Ms. Hanh added.