Night markets are earning a huge sum of money as they are not confined to mere shopping and dining experiences but more to prolonging visitor stays and increasing their average spending at tourist destinations, which is a lucrative economic driver to any localities.
In Vietnam, there is a night market at each major tourist destination to offer visitors more entertainment experiences; yet the effectiveness is rather limited to leave a longer image in their mind.
The good news is a new wave of night markets is emerging, aiming to provide more satisfying experiences to tourists. One such example is Vui Phet – VUI-Fest Bazaar in Phu Quoc City, developed based on the concept of innovative night market to go beyond the traditional shopping activity.
“I didn’t expect Phu Quoc City could have such a unique beachfront night market”, praised Hong Lien from Hanoi. “The variety of goods is impressive, with plenty of local products to buy as souvenirs. The food options are diverse and affordable. But the best part is the street art shows – I've never seen anything like this at any other night market in Vietnam.”
Coming to VUI-Fest Bazaar each night, tourists can do more than shopping at over 50 stalls offering everything from food to handicrafts, souvenirs, and local produce. Visitors can also enjoy a variety of lively street shows, including the Loang Xoan show, Tinh Tuom show, or Xung Xinh show. Every night, there's also a fireworks display - a feature that, according to many visitors, no other night market in the world can match.
It is unsurprising that Vui Phet has quickly become the star among different night markets in Vietnam. It attracts at least 2,000 visitors each night on average, with the peak being 4,000-5,000.
One remarkable feature of Vui Phet is the fair and transparent pricing system, dispelling the long-held perception of Phu Quoc as an overpriced destination. Meanwhile, it is an ideal location for people to do their business here thanks to its unprecedented incentive policies such as free rental stall for three years, decoration support, shared sanitation fee for common areas, and aids in marketing tasks via various well-prepared shows every day of the week.
Owner of Kungfu Noddle Stall Nguyen Dinh Thong shared that small vendors like them, when registering for a booth in Vui Phet, now have a chance to contribute to the tourism industry in Phu Quoc City by enriching visitors experiences and to earn big money at the same time thanks to the huge quantity of tourists that the market attracts each night.
Obviously, such effective night markets as Vui Phet have significantly influenced the local tourism industry as they offer more job opportunities for inhabitants, and thus boost economic growth. Meanwhile, they also help the management to better monitor product prices and avoid overcharging or customer harassment, ultimately fostering a positive image of friendly and civilized local tourism.
The successful night market model of Vui Phet in Phu Quoc City is expected to be multiplied in other famous tourist destinations like Da Nang City, Ha Long City.
Planned for its grand opening this June, coinciding with the peak summer tourism season, Vui-Fest Ha Long - the first beachfront entertainment night market in Northern Vietnam – is set to captivate visitors with its unique cultural shows by both national and international performers as well as hundreds of delicious food stalls and interesting souvenir stores.
Set to debut this summer during the peak tourist season, Vui-Fest Da Nang will transform the Danang Downtown complex (formerly Asia Park) on the banks of the Han River into a vibrant urban night market. Beyond its enticing culinary experiences and diverse shopping options, the night market promises to electrify the coastal city's atmosphere with unique shows, including the Viet Puppetry Show and a Jet Ski and Fireworks Show on the river. Additionally, visitors can immerse themselves in captivating street art performances by local and foreign artists.
The two Vui-Fest markets in Da Nang City and Ha Long City are a golden chance for businesspeople thanks to various incentive policies such as encouragingly rental rates or even complementary stalls in Da Nang City, well-planned trading spaces, professional market management boards, and support from the market investor – Sun Group – in marketing tasks.
With its substantial scale and meticulous planning, Vui Phet is transforming the conventional night market model into a dynamic, cultural hub that enhances the allure of each locality.
