The planning drive comes after the implementation of the two-tier local government model on July 1, 2025, which prompted the province to streamline adjustments to its provincial development strategy to align with new administrative and economic conditions.
Currently, 110 communes and Ayun Pa ward have completed approval of their master plans, while wards in former urban centers including Quy Nhon, Pleiku, An Nhon, Hoai Nhon and An Khe are expected to finalize plans by the fourth quarter of 2026.
Under the revised orientation, Quy Nhon and Pleiku are set to expand into two major urban growth centers covering 119,080 hectares and 126,300 hectares respectively.
Le Dang Tuan, Deputy Director of the Department of Construction, said the new master planning framework is designed not only to guide urban and rural development but also to improve investment management, mobilize resources and enhance the business environment.
A central feature of the restructuring strategy is the shift away from planning based on former administrative boundaries toward regional connectivity and functional spatial allocation.
Strategic growth corridors, including the Quy Nhon–An Khe–Pleiku route and the East-West axis linking to Cambodia, have been identified as long-term economic drivers for the province.
Vice Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Tu Cong Hoang said planning must lead development efforts to avoid missed opportunities tied to strategic infrastructure and emerging investment flows.
In its adjusted 2021–2030 provincial master plan with a vision to 2050, Gia Lai is prioritizing processing industries, logistics, renewable energy, high-tech agriculture, tourism, the digital economy and artificial intelligence, reflecting a broader restructuring of the provincial economy beyond administrative changes.
The province’s post-merger competition model is also evolving, with localities increasingly competing on planning readiness, land availability, infrastructure connectivity and investment attraction capacity rather than solely on geographic advantages or natural resources.
Dien Hong ward is being developed into a high-quality commercial and service center focused on improving urban living standards.
Ward Party Secretary Doan Huu Dung said the locality aims to expand high value-added services while sustainably developing the Dien Hong lake area for tourism and environmental preservation.
Chu Se commune is emerging as a logistics and agricultural processing hub at the southern gateway of the Central Highlands, benefiting from connections via National Highways 14 and 25.
The commune’s northwest area is designated for logistics, processing industries and high-tech agriculture, while the central zone will focus on commerce, services and residential development. The southeast area is planned for eco-tourism linked to Phu Cuong and Queng O waterfalls and local gong culture.
Tran Minh Trieu, Chairman of the Chu Se Commune People’s Committee, said the master plan would help the locality better utilize its logistics and agricultural processing advantages while supporting economic restructuring and higher incomes for residents.
The planning push is also creating momentum for new investment projects. Bui Duy Hai, Director of Green Tropical Import-Export Processing Joint Stock Company, said the company is investing in a deep-processing facility in Chu Se based on advantages in land, climate and raw material supply. The company is developing a closed production chain linked to more than 100 hectares of organic coffee along with durian, passion fruit and other fruit plantations.
In the eastern part of the province, localities are expanding industrial, logistics and urban spaces to capitalize on stronger links with the South Central Coast region.
Canh Vinh commune is being positioned as an industrial-logistics gateway in southeastern Gia Lai due to its strategic connections through National Highway 19C, the North-South Expressway, the Long Van–Long My route and a planned high-speed railway. Commune People’s Committee Chairman Duong Hiep Hoa said the local master plan reserves substantial land for industrial parks, inland ports, logistics centers and urban service zones linked to the Nhon Hoi Economic Zone. The commune’s population is projected to exceed 82,000 by 2045.
Binh Khe commune, meanwhile, is pursuing a multi-sector development strategy centered on industry, high-tech agriculture and energy. According to Commune People’s Committee Chairman Nguyen Cong De, the locality has identified four development zones, with the new administrative and service center in Tay Thuan serving as the expansion core.
Several large-scale industrial and infrastructure projects are underway in Binh Khe, including the 300-hectare Tay Giang Industrial Park with total investment exceeding VND1.797 trillion ($69 million), along with the Tay Giang and Cau 16 industrial clusters and multiple livestock and agricultural projects.
The effects of the planning strategy are already becoming visible. In the first quarter of 2026, Binh Khe commune recorded industrial-construction growth of 9.55%, while total production value rose 7.2%.
As Gia Lai restructures its development space after the merger, local planning is increasingly becoming a critical competitive tool for attracting investment, expanding economic capacity and establishing new growth poles across the province.