Developed by Võ Hoàn Hảo, born in 1989 in Hung Binh hamlet, Ia Hrung commune, the X-Green farm combines organic grape cultivation with hands-on visitor experiences. The business not only generates income for the owner's family but also creates regular employment for local residents and expands the range of tourism products available in Gia Lai.
Hảo's success followed years of setbacks. After graduating in Plant Protection from Tay Nguyen University, he returned to his hometown in 2011 to work at 706 Coffee Company while providing technical advice to farmers, trading agricultural supplies and operating a plant nursery.
In 2018, he invested in clean farming, cultivating strawberries, asparagus and organic vegetables. The venture struggled financially, pushing him close to bankruptcy by the end of 2019 before production gradually stabilized with the introduction of the Hana strawberry variety.
Climate change, particularly the effects of the El Niño phenomenon, later reduced strawberry yields, prompting Hảo to diversify into grape cultivation and extend the farm's tourism season.
"The advantage of grapes is that they can bear fruit almost year-round," Hảo said. "While strawberries are harvested for only about four months, grapes allow visitors to experience the product at any time. I hope to contribute a new agricultural tourism model for Gia Lai".
To establish the vineyard, he repeatedly visited grape-growing areas in Khanh Hoa province to study cultivation techniques.
After testing dozens of grape varieties, he selected those best suited to Gia Lai's climate and soil. Trials involving grape varieties and cultivation methods cost hundreds of millions of Vietnamese dong.
Today, X-Green grows several grape varieties, including seedless American grapes, Kyoho, candy grapes and black pearl grapes, alongside strawberries and other fruit trees. The visitor area is managed using organic farming methods, with biological products prioritized to maintain food safety.
The farm receives around 1,000 to 2,000 visitors each week during harvest periods and averages between 20,000 and 30,000 visitors annually, primarily from Gia Lai, Quang Ngai and neighboring provinces. It has become one of the province's best-known agritourism destinations.
Beyond tourism, the business provides steady employment for three to four local workers, each earning an average monthly income of 8-9 million Vietnamese dong (about US$305-$344). Annual revenue reaches approximately 1.2-1.3 billion Vietnamese dong (about US$45,900-$49,700), with profits after expenses of around 800-900 million Vietnamese dong (about US$30,600-$34,400).
Hảo has also invested in visitor facilities, including parking areas, rest spaces, restrooms, signage and landscaped surroundings. He said agritourism is not only about selling clean produce but also about creating memorable experiences that encourage visitors to return.
The farm is maintained with year-round greenery, flowers and fruit, while new photo locations are regularly added to enhance the visitor experience.
Nguyễn Thị Thúy Viên, a visitor from Quang Ngai making her second trip to X-Green, said the opportunity to pick ripe grape clusters directly from the vines distinguished the experience from purchasing grapes at a market.
Trần Đình Huy, who visited from Ho Chi Minh City, said the farm was particularly suitable for families with young children because it offered firsthand exposure to agricultural production. He added that connecting similar destinations into broader experiential tourism routes would make Gia Lai even more attractive to visitors.
Alongside tourism development, X-Green has focused on strengthening its agricultural brand. Its grapes have earned a three-star OCOP rating, while the farm continues improving production practices to meet VietGAP standards and is working toward organic certification.
According to Hảo, Gia Lai's mild climate, fertile soil and diverse agricultural ecosystem provide strong conditions for agritourism. He said realizing that potential will require further infrastructure investment, improved tourism skills among local communities and stronger partnerships with travel businesses to develop attractive experiential routes.
From a small fruit farm, X-Green has grown into a popular destination that illustrates how agriculture and tourism can complement one another. Hảo's journey highlights the resilience of a young entrepreneur while offering a practical model for expanding sustainable agritourism in Gia Lai through value-added agricultural production and visitor experiences.