Google Maps Ranking for Tourism Businesses in Hoi An and Da Nang

The Google Maps local pack — the three businesses that appear under the map in a local search result — captures the vast majority of clicks for any local query. For tourism businesses in Hoi An and Da Nang, being in that pack for your most important search terms is the difference between a fully booked calendar and an empty one. Understanding what Google uses to determine those positions is the first step to improving yours.

Factor 1: relevance — does Google know what you are?

Relevance is about matching your business profile to what the searcher is looking for. It starts with your primary Google Business Profile category — this is the most critical single configuration decision. A spa that selects 'Day Spa' as its primary category will rank for 'spa' searches in its area. One that selects 'Beauty Salon' will not. After category, relevance is built through your service list, business description, Google Posts and website content — all of which Google reads to understand precisely what your business offers.

Factor 2: distance — how close are you to the searcher?

Distance is the simplest factor and the one you cannot change — it is measured from the searcher's current location (or the location mentioned in their query) to your business address. What this means in practice is that 'near me' searches are won by proximity, while location-specific searches like 'spa Hoi An old town' can be won by businesses anywhere within a reasonable range of that location. You cannot move your business, but you can ensure Google has your exact address correctly mapped.

Factor 3: prominence — how well-known and trusted are you?

• •Review count and rating — the most visible prominence signal and the one tourists use to compare options.
• •Review recency — consistent recent reviews signal an active business.
• •Website authority — a well-built, fast website with location-relevant content strengthens prominence.
• •Citations — your business mentioned consistently across booking platforms, travel sites and directories.
• •Links — mentions and links from reputable travel websites, local media or business directories.

How the Hoi An and Da Nang markets are different

Hoi An and Da Nang are high-competition local markets for almost every tourism category — there are hundreds of spas, restaurants and hotels competing for the same search terms. This means the baseline prominence requirement is higher than in less competitive cities. In Hoi An old town, appearing in the top three spa results typically requires 50+ reviews with consistent recency, a fully optimised profile and a fast website with LocalBusiness schema markup.

What you can do right now to improve your ranking

• •Audit your GBP category — is it the most specific and accurate option for your business type?
• •Check that your business name, address and phone match exactly across GBP, website and major OTA listings.
• •Count your reviews from the last 90 days — if fewer than 5, make review request a priority this month.
• •Open your GBP on mobile and check that photos load quickly and look professional — this is what tourists see.
• •Connect your website to GBP and ensure the website mentions your specific location (Hoi An, Da Nang, exact neighbourhood).

Ranking for multilingual searches

Tourists in Hoi An and Da Nang search in many languages — English, Korean, Japanese, French, and others. Google generally serves the most complete, well-optimised listing regardless of search language, but adding descriptions in the relevant international languages strengthens relevance signals for non-English searches. Korean-language information is particularly valuable for businesses targeting Korean tourists — the largest single international market for this region.

Tracking your ranking progress

Google Business Profile Insights shows how many people searched for your business, clicked for directions, visited your website or called — broken down by search query. Use this data monthly to track which queries are driving engagement and whether profile changes have moved impressions. For the full optimisation process, see the guide to local SEO for tourism businesses in Vietnam.