Illuminating Island nights: Exploring local culture in night tourism

Night tourism has gained popularity among travelers seeking entertainment and leisure activities. However, promoting night tourism in areas that lack urban-based attractions, such as small islands, presents unique challenges. Despite these challenges, small islands often possess rich local cultures that can be harnessed to create distinctive night tourism experiences. This study investigates the potential of local culture in enhancing night tourism on Ly Son Island, Vietnam. A mixed-method approach was employed, including a quantitative survey of 120 tourists, a qualitative survey of 10 tourists, and three fieldwork investigations on the island. The findings reveal that Ly Son Island has a distinctive local culture that holds significant, yet underutilized, potential for night tourism. Tourists expressed a strong interest in night activities that are deeply rooted in the island’s local culture. However, such offerings are currently underdeveloped, limiting the island's night tourism appeal. Based on these findings, this study recommends strategies to better utilize local culture in night tourism on Ly Son Island. The implementation of these recommendations could enhance the night tourism experience not only on Ly Son Island but also on similar small island destinations.