Đà Nẵng welcomed more than 411,000 visitors from Russia and other CIS countries in the first eight months of 2026. — VNA/VNS Photo

ĐÀ NẴNG — The central city of Đà Nẵng is stepping up efforts to tap the Russian and Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) tourism markets as visitor numbers from the region rebound strongly, helping diversify the city's international tourist base.

Nguyễn Thị Hoài An, Deputy Director of the city's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said Đà Nẵng welcomed more than 411,000 visitors from Russia and other CIS countries in the first eight months of 2026, up 94.2 per cent year-on-year and accounting for about 5.8 per cent  of total international arrivals.

Russian arrivals alone reached nearly 300,000, soaring 151.4 per cent and making Russia the city's seventh-largest international tourist market.

The strong rebound has boosted not only visitor numbers but also demand for beach resorts, wellness, gastronomy and cultural experiences in Đà Nẵng and Hội An. Visitors from the region also tend to stay relatively long, making them a good fit for the city's resort-oriented tourism products, An said.

Improved air connectivity has been a key driver. During summer 2026, there were 16 flights from CIS destinations to Đà Nẵng a week, while charter flights from several Russian cities were also operated.

Digital promotion has further boosted visibility. A campaign on the Yandex ecosystem reached about 17.2 million users in Russia and the CIS, generating 63.4 million impressions. Searches for Đà Nẵng on Yandex nearly tripled during the campaign compared with the same period last year.

Thu Nguyễn, Business Development Director at Yandex Ads Vietnam, said destination stability, visa policies and promotion were important factors in tourists' choices.

She suggested Đà Nẵng focus not only on visitor numbers but also on target segments, spending capacity and travel preferences to develop suitable products and avoid being positioned as a low-cost destination.

For the rest of 2026, Đà Nẵng plans to work with airlines, travel firms and market partners to sustain Russian and CIS arrivals while developing higher-value products combining beach holidays, wellness, golf, gastronomy, culture and heritage.

The city also plans to organise famtrips and presstrips, support air connectivity, maintain promotion on Yandex and prepare to attend MITT Moscow 2027, strengthening its presence in the market and encouraging local businesses to develop and promote tourism products.

In the first eight months, Đà Nẵng's accommodation establishments served about 14.25 million visitors, up 24.9 per cent year-on-year, while accommodation and catering revenue reached approximately VNĐ46.93 trillion (US$1.83 billion), up 25.1 per cent.

The city aims to welcome more than 19.1 million visitors in 2026, including around 8.7 million foreigners, while improving the quality of tourism growth and enhancing the sector’s contribution to the city’s economy. — VNA/VNS