Esports opens new opportunities for urban tourism

Bringing esports into public spaces

Building on the achievements of Vietnamese esports at the Asian Games (ASIAD), where the country won its first bronze medal in the continental competition, Games ON Hai Phong 2026 took place at the City Theater Square over two days, October 10 and 11, bringing gaming, esports and digital entertainment activities closer to the local community.

For the first time, a large-scale esports festival moved beyond the enclosed spaces of arenas and movie theaters into the open setting of a pedestrian street. Visitors and local residents, from young technology enthusiasts to families enjoying a weekend stroll, could easily immerse themselves in the lively atmosphere, watch top-level competitions on giant LED screens, or experience dozens of popular games.

Assessing the significance of the event, Tran Son, Director of Esports Development at VNGGames, said: “Esports has now become a natural point of connection between young people's entertainment culture and the driving forces behind the development of the digital economy and digital society.

“Hosting top-level competitions in Hai Phong's open public spaces is not only about finding champions. It also lays another solid foundation for building a professional and sustainable esports ecosystem, while aiming to gradually establish the port city as a leading regional destination for technology, culture and digital entertainment.”

Connecting esports and entertainment to boost tourism

While esports serves as the main attraction for young people, entertainment and local culinary culture help keep visitors engaged, creating an integrated economic value chain. The large-scale music concert “Games ON Impressions – Turn On the Port City’s Vibe” on the evening of October 10 combined lighting, fireworks and contemporary music with food stalls along the pedestrian street. Hai Phong's night food scene was packed with spectators.

Speaking at the opening ceremony about the model's broader impact on local development, Le Trung Kien, Member of the Standing Committee of the Hai Phong Party Committee and Vice Chairman of the City People's Committee, emphasized that esports is increasingly establishing itself as a modern discipline that enriches cultural and spiritual life while promoting the development of the digital economy.

Hosting a large-scale outdoor esports festival not only creates an attractive venue for young people but also widely promotes the image of Hai Phong as a youthful, dynamic, civilized and vibrant city, providing fresh momentum for tourism and the city's nighttime economy.

Games ON Hai Phong 2026 made a strong impression by attracting more than 50,000 visits, demonstrating the success of a community gaming and cultural festival model being tested outdoors in the city for the first time.

The success of Games ON Hai Phong 2026 shows that the integrated festival model combining “esports – entertainment – local culture and tourism” is no longer an improvised experiment. It is a modern operating model that meets the preferences of younger generations while opening up a sustainable path for Vietnamese cities to make use of public cultural spaces and develop cultural and creative industries in the digital age.

THU HUONG

THU HUONG