Hosting National Tourism Year - Gia Lai 2026 is being viewed as a pivotal opportunity for the province to strengthen its position on Vietnam’s tourism map and enhance links between the Central Highlands and the South Central Coast.
Below are perspectives from officials, experts and businesses on expectations for the sector’s next phase.
Developing cultural tourism is a promising direction for Gia Lai tourism. Photo: Doan Ngoc
* Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thi Thanh Lich:
Vice Chairwoman of the Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thi Thanh Lich. Photo: Quang Tan
The National Tourism Year - Gia Lai 2026 carries significance beyond tourism, contributing to broader socio-economic development. It offers a platform to promote the province’s image, people and cultural identity to both domestic and international audiences, thereby strengthening the brand of Gia Lai tourism.
The event is expected to accelerate the professional and sustainable development of tourism, while supporting related sectors such as services, trade and transport. It will also help generate jobs, raise incomes and attract investment into infrastructure and tourism facilities.
Authorities expect clear breakthroughs, including higher visitor numbers and revenue, more competitive tourism products, improved human resources and a stronger role for tourism in the local economy.
*Dr. Vu Dinh Chien, Head of Tourism Faculty, Quy Nhon College of Engineering and Technology:
Dr. Vu Dinh Chien. Photo: Provided by the subject
To build a tourism brand linked to the “great forest - blue sea” concept, the workforce must be capable of delivering compelling and professional destination narratives.
Training should focus on versatile personnel with inter-regional knowledge, able to design seamless travel experiences. Digital skills, including marketing and artificial intelligence applications, are increasingly essential.
Service quality must align with national and international standards, with stronger foreign language and intercultural communication skills. Developing local human resources, particularly among ethnic minorities and coastal communities, will help create distinctive tourism products rooted in identity.
* Researcher Nguyen Thanh Quang:
Researcher Nguyen Thanh Quang. Photo: Doan Ngoc
Gia Lai holds a significant advantage in its rich cultural and historical heritage, which forms a foundation for cultural tourism. However, the challenge lies in effectively leveraging these resources.
While preservation efforts have been positive, many heritage values remain underutilised, with investment and promotion lacking depth and coherence. The storytelling aspect, connecting cultural layers into engaging narratives, remains limited.
Greater investment and more effective promotion are needed to unlock this “treasure trove” and attract visitors seeking authentic experiences.
The main activities of National Tourism Year – Gia Lai 2026 held in Quy Nhon ward are an opportunity for the locality to welcome a large influx of visitors. Photo: Dung Nhan
* Mr. Nguyen Duc Toan, Chairman of the People's Committee of Quy Nhon Ward:
Mr. Nguyen Duc Toan. Photo: Provided by the subject
The event is expected to bring a surge in visitors to Quy Nhon ward, helping promote its image as a dynamic and welcoming coastal destination.
It will also support the professionalisation of services and improve tourism standards.
The Quy Nhon Pleiku tourism linkage is emerging as a key development direction, aligning with inter-regional tourism trends. Authorities plan to diversify tourism products, strengthen connections and enhance cultural exchanges between coastal and highland areas.
Efforts will also focus on attracting investment, improving human resources and advancing digital transformation to ensure sustainable growth.
* Mr. Huynh Vu Tri, Owner of Song Suoi Homestay (Quy Nhon Ward):
Mr. Huynh Vu Tri. Photo: Doan Ngoc
The homestay mainly serves international visitors, particularly from Europe and the Americas, who tend to stay longer and seek authentic cultural experiences.
Beyond accommodation, it offers activities such as visits to historical sites, craft villages and fishing communities, as well as local cuisine experiences, factors that leave strong impressions on foreign guests.
However, a key limitation is the lack of nighttime tourism products and spending opportunities. Increased investment in nightlife and large-scale cultural performances could help extend visitor stays and boost spending, especially as regional linkages strengthen under the 2026 tourism year.
A growing influx of international tourists to the Central Highlands is exposing a critical gap in community tourism: a shortage of local storytellers able to communicate cultural heritage in foreign languages.
Gia Lai province will promote its tourism potential at the Vietnam International Travel Mart (VITM) 2026, which opens in Hanoi on April 10, positioning itself ahead of its role as host of the National Tourism Year 2026.
Quy Nhon, a coastal city in central Vietnam, is gaining international recognition for its clean environment, relaxed lifestyle and growing appeal among repeat foreign visitors, positioning itself as an emerging destination in Southeast Asia.
Community-based tourism is expanding across Vietnam, emerging as a key driver of rural development by improving local livelihoods while preserving cultural identity.
A local content creator is reshaping how audiences experience Vietnam’s Central Highlands, using visual storytelling to promote the culture and landscapes of Gia Lai Province.
A growing number of international tourists are heading to Vietnam’s Central Highlands to experience hands-on farming, as agricultural tourism gains traction in the region.
Gia Lai province stepped up efforts to boost its summer tourism market at the Ho Chi Minh City Tourism Festival, showcasing destinations, cultural experiences and promotional offers to attract visitors in 2026.
After hours of trekking through dense forests and steep terrain, visitors reaching the 1,748-metre summit of Kon Ka Kinh are rewarded with sweeping views of untouched greenery and drifting clouds, underscoring the growing appeal of Kon Hà Nừng Biosphere Reserve as a leading ecotourism destination.
A delegation of foreign ambassadors and consuls visited Banh It Tower in Gia Lai province in late March, promoting the locality’s cultural heritage and tourism potential to the international community.
Gia Lai is advancing a strategy to develop tourism by leveraging a coastal-highland corridor, aiming to create distinctive, culturally rich travel experiences and strengthen interregional connectivity.
Authorities and tourism stakeholders in Vietnam’s Central Highlands province of Gia Lai are promoting a “forest-to-sea” tourism model as a strategic driver for growth during National Tourism Year 2026, aiming to combine highland and coastal experiences into a single journey.
A French visitor from Corsica has found an unexpected sense of belonging in Vietnam’s Central Highlands, drawn by the fragrance of coffee blossoms, fresh air and the region’s unhurried pace of life.
Gia Lai authorities on March 25 outlined preparations for the National Tourism Year 2026, announcing a wide-ranging programme of 244 events and calling for strong media coordination to promote the province’s tourism potential.
Residents living at the foot of Chư Đang Ya volcano in Gia Lai province are preparing to welcome an expected surge of visitors during National Tourism Year 2026, offering a blend of natural landscapes, traditional culture and community-based experiences.
Authorities and tourism stakeholders in Vietnam’s Central Highlands province of Gia Lai are developing immersive coffee farm tours, aiming to launch them as a flagship product for National Tourism Year 2026.
Gia Lai authorities have completed a final review of preparations for the Opening Week of the National Tourism Year 2026, as the province gears up to host a series of high-profile events aimed at promoting tourism and investment.
The second Tà Má Stream Wild Azalea Festival will take place on March 21 in Hà Ri village, Vĩnh Thịnh commune, offering visitors a blend of natural scenery and Bahnar Kriêm cultural traditions.
Gia Lai province is aiming to welcome 15 million visitors in 2026 and generate VND 35 trillion (about USD 1.4 billion) in tourism revenue, as local authorities and industry leaders prepare to convene a major forum to accelerate the sector’s growth.
(GLO) – Nestled amid the rolling mountains and forests, the Ia Ly Hydropower Dam curves gracefully like a bow, embracing the deep blue reservoir. From this monumental energy project, a series of new destinations have emerged, offering a wealth of fresh experiences that captivate visitors.
The afternoon of March 5 in Hanoi, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Ngo Le Van and Vice Chairwoman of the Gia Lai Provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Thanh Lich co-chaired an international press conference on the National Tourism Year - Gia Lai 2026.
Two of Đak Rong’s most remote waterfalls, Kon Bông and Kon Lốc, are drawing attention for their unspoiled landscapes and striking geological formations, offering a rare look at the raw beauty of Vietnam’s Eastern Trường Sơn range.
Vietnam recorded around 14 million tourist arrivals during the nine-day Bính Ngọ Lunar New Year 2026 holiday, marking a 12% increase from the same period last year, according to the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism.
Gia Lai welcomed an estimated 848,000 visitors during the 2026 Bính Ngọ Lunar New Year, generating tourism revenue of 900 billion VND (approx. USD 36 million), according to the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
The Guardian, a British newspaper, has released a list of the four 'most outstanding' cities in the Asia-Pacific region that are best suited for purposeful travel trends in 2026.
