Da Nang (VNA) ℱ– With record arrivals straining popular sites, Japanese officials promoted new destinations and off-season travel at a seminar in the central city of Da Nang on July 4.

The event drew around 50 travel agents and partners from both Vietnam and Japan, representatives from the Consulate General of Japan in Da Nang, the Da Nang Tourism Association, and the central region branch of the national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines. In her opening speech, Chief Representative of the Japan National Tourism Organisation (JNTO) in Vietnam Matsumoto Fumi reported a record 621,100 Vietnamese visitors to Japan in 2024, up 8.2% annually. The upward trend continued into 2025, with 311,700 arrivals in the first five months, a 9.6% annual rise. She attributed the surge to the restoration of international flight routes, notably those linking Da Nang with Japan’s Narita and Kansai airports. These connections have made Japan more accessible for travellers from central Vietnam. Yet, she noted that about 80% of Vietnamese have yet to visit Japan, signalling ample growth potential. Japan’s tourism sector, while thriving, remains strained by its reliance on group tours along the well-trodden “Golden Route” of Tokyo, Kyoto, and Osaka, especially during cherry blossom and autumn foliage seasons. This has placed immense pressure on infrastructure in Japan’s major cities, a challenge officials are now hoping to solve by steering the next wave of visitors toward the country’s lesser-known areas. Looking ahead, JNTO is pinning hopes on the six-month Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai, opened in April, to diversify tourist flows, she said. Japanese Consul General in Da Nang Mori Takero highlighted the recent merger of Da Nang and Quang Nam as a transformative opportunity for regional tourism. The expanded area, rich with UNESCO world heritage sites like Hoi An and My Son, alongside eco-tourism spots and vibrant local communities, is poised to become a major travel hub. He also pointed to Vietnam Airlines’ resumed Osaka-Da Nang flights and plans to upgrade aircraft on the Narita-Da Nang route, which are expected to bolster connectivity during the Expo 2025 Osaka. Da Nang itself is experiencing robust growth, with 11% economic expansion in the first half of 2025. The city is now pursuing ambitious projects, including a free trade zone and an international financial centre, to attract business travellers. During a visit to Vietnam by the Japanese Prime Minister in April, the two countries set an annual goal of 2 million two-way tourist arrivals. Nguyen Thi Hoai An, Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, outlined the city’s vision to become a leading tourism and high-end service hub in Southeast Asia by 2030, with aspirations to rank among Asia’s top destinations by 2045. The expanded city now spans over 11,800 sq.km and serves a population exceeding 3 million. In 2024, Da Nang welcomed more than 179,000 Japanese visitors. This year, arrivals soared to over 108,000 in the first half alone, nearly doubling the figure from the same period in 2024. Currently, 11 weekly direct flights connect Da Nang to Japan, with seven from Narita and four from Osaka./.