AEON Mall to Simultaneously Push Forward Four Facilities in Da Nang, Ha Long, Thanh Hoa, and Bac Ninh in 2026 — The Full Picture of Its Vietnam Expansion Strategy

In 2026, AEON Mall Vietnam is advancing construction and opening preparations for four facilities in parallel: Da Nang, Ha Long (Quang Ninh Province), Thanh Hoa, and Bac Ninh. In addition to its existing 8 facilities, the plan is to add 4 more locations at once in 2026-2027. Cumulative investment has reached about USD 1.5 billion, and the long-term strategy of tripling the current number of malls by 2030 has now begun in earnest.

Progress Overview of the 4 Facilities

Da Nang Thanh Khe — The First AEON Mall in Central Vietnam

Located along Dien Bien Phu Street, about 5 minutes by car from Da Nang Airport, this facility takes the form of AEON Mall leasing the commercial building of a mixed-use complex developed by TTC Group. In this mixed-use development with a four-star hotel, offices, and apartments, AEON Mall occupies the lower floors.

About 45% of tenants are expected to be brands making their first entry into Da Nang, and UNIQLO has confirmed it will open a 1,547-square-meter store. Da Nang has a population of more than 3 million and receives 8.7 million tourists a year, and it is rapidly growing as a consumption hub for central Vietnam.

Ha Long — A Facility Aiming to Draw 10 Million Visitors a Year to a World Heritage Tourist Site

AEON Mall Ha Long, under construction on 13 hectares in Bai Chay District, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province, is one of the largest commercial facilities in northern Vietnam, with an investment of VND 5.2 trillion (about JPY 31.2 billion). It has a gross floor area of 208,000 square meters, spans 5 floors, and will include dining, retail, a kids' zone, and a multiplex cinema.

Construction broke ground in February 2025, and the main structure is currently complete for 3 of its 5 floors. 500 to 600 engineers and workers are advancing construction in three shifts (including weekends), targeting an opening in November-December 2026. Annual visitors of 10 million and permanent employment of 2,500 people are expected.

Industry reaction

• Da Nang city authorities have positioned AEON Mall's entry as "an upgrade of central Vietnam's commercial infrastructure" and are prioritizing the development of surrounding roads.
• Quang Ninh Province is aiming to use the synergy between Ha Long Bay tourism and AEON Mall to shift toward "stay-based tourism." Raising spending among day-trippers had been a challenge.
• Real estate developers are paying attention to the pattern in which demand for housing and offices around an AEON Mall "starts moving right after groundbreaking is announced."

Implications for Japanese companies

AEON Mall's simultaneous push on four facilities is a good opportunity for Japanese tenant companies to make store-opening decisions. In Da Nang in particular, UNIQLO has already decided to open first, leaving room for Japanese dining, apparel, and service businesses to follow.

Ha Long and Thanh Hoa are hybrid tourism-and-industrial cities, so their tenant mix differs from urban-type malls. Product and service design that targets both local consumers and tourists is required.

AEON has set a plan to triple the current number of malls in Vietnam by 2030. For Japanese companies considering becoming tenants, now is the time to formulate a medium- to long-term plan aligned with AEON's store-opening roadmap.

Industry Ripple Effects: The Dawn of Vietnam's "Regional Mall" Era

All four of AEON Mall's facilities are located in regional cities outside Ho Chi Minh City and Hanoi. Vietnam's large commercial facilities had long been concentrated in the two major cities, but their expansion into regional areas is accelerating from 2026 onward. Lotte Mart, Vincom (a Vingroup company), and Central Retail (Thailand) are also stepping up their regional store openings, and competition to attract tenants is spreading nationwide.

Practical Information

Conclusion

AEON Mall Vietnam's simultaneous push on four facilities in 2026 shows that the company's Vietnam strategy has shifted from "deepening in the two major cities" to "nationwide expansion." Opening stores in cities with such different characters — Da Nang (a tourist city), Ha Long (a World Heritage site), Thanh Hoa (a central industrial city), and Bac Ninh (a northern FDI hub) — has high reference value as material for Japanese companies deciding on regional expansion into Vietnam.

Related article: AEON Mall Breaks Ground on New Facility in Bac Ninh Province with About USD 150 Million Investment

Related article: Samsung Electronics to build a 4 billion dollar semiconductor packaging plant in Vietnam

Source: AEONMALL Vietnam, Quang Ninh Online