Transport infrastructure has been identified as the backbone of the local economy, with provincial leaders prioritising road connectivity as a catalyst for wider investment.
That strategy has been translated into action through accelerated project delivery, coordinated land clearance and resettlement policies designed to ensure affected residents receive equal or improved living conditions.
Despite the complexity of relocating thousands of households, close coordination across government levels has helped remove bottlenecks and keep projects on schedule. A series of completed transport works has reshaped the province’s infrastructure landscape.
Among the most prominent is the Cát Tiến–Đề Gi coastal road, a 21.5-kilometre, four-lane route with modern lighting and landscaping, built at a cost of 1,262 billion VND (about USD 50.5 million). The road has transformed the coastal area, replacing long stretches of sand with planned infrastructure and drawing real estate, tourism and resort developers to the region.
Local residents say the project has improved both mobility and economic prospects. Tourism hotspots along the route, including Linh Phong Zen Monastery, the Trung Lương camping area and the Cát Tiến–Phù Mỹ Đông coastline, have seen rising visitor numbers, while investors eye new hospitality and service opportunities.
Beyond the coast, Gia Lai is pushing ahead with key urban and inter-regional links. Construction is under way on Nguyễn Văn Linh Road, a 2.7-kilometre arterial route through Hội Phú and Diên Hồng wards, with total investment of 260 billion VND (about USD 10.4 million). Technical clearance is targeted for completion by the end of 2025, with asphalt paving scheduled ahead of the Lunar New Year.
- In the photo: Perspective of Phù Mỹ Industrial Park in Phù Mỹ Đông commune. Photo: T.Sỹ
The province is also accelerating the Eastern Economic Corridor, a more than 15-kilometre route linking National Highways 19 and 14. Once completed, it is expected to ease congestion, improve intra-provincial connectivity and open up new development space for Pleiku City, while enhancing access to tourist landmarks such as Biển Hồ Tea, Biển Hồ Lake and the Chư Đang Ya volcano area.
A cornerstone of Gia Lai’s long-term strategy is the Quy Nhơn–Pleiku Expressway (Component Project 1), described by local leaders as a nationally significant “super project”. The 125-kilometre expressway, with four full lanes and a design speed of 100 km/h, will pass through 16 communes and wards. Total investment stands at 43,734 billion VND (about USD 1.75 billion).
Provincial officials say the expressway will strengthen the east–west transport corridor, linking the South Central Coast with the Central Highlands and providing the fastest route between the highlands and seaports. The project underlines Gia Lai’s ambition to build a modern, synchronised socio-economic infrastructure system and to become a relatively developed province within the next five years.
Between 2021 and 2025, Gia Lai invested more than 13,000 billion VND (about USD 520 million) in strategic transport projects, gradually completing an inter-regional and intra-provincial network connecting economic centres, industrial parks and seaports.
Infrastructure-led growth has helped attract rising volumes of non-budget capital. The province has launched numerous privately funded projects in industrial parks, industrial clusters, urban development, tourism, commerce and services, supported by a policy framework that places people and businesses at the centre while revoking delayed or non-compliant projects.
Several large industrial parks have drawn tens of thousands of billions of VND in investment to develop modern infrastructure. Clean land along new transport routes has also attracted strategic investors, including Phase 1 of the Phù Mỹ Industrial Park, covering 436.8 hectares, with investment of more than 4,500 billion VND (about USD 180 million).
Provincial leaders say the project has long-term strategic value, not only for industry and job creation but also for logistics, given its links to seaports, airports, expressways and international border gates. Plans include digital infrastructure integrating artificial intelligence and the Internet of Things to support a smart, green and sustainable industrial park model.
Tourism is another pillar of Gia Lai’s growth push. High-end resort developments are under way, including Project No. 2 of the Nhơn Lý–Cát Tiến Beach Tourism Area, with investment of 2,584 billion VND (about USD 103 million), featuring a wellness-focused resort and the province’s largest onsen complex operated by Japanese experts.
In addition, three urban and tourism service projects covering 572 hectares in the Đề Gi lagoon and An Lương commune are being developed with total investment exceeding 8,884 billion VND (about USD 355 million). The projects aim to create a luxury resort and urban complex with a superyacht marina, golf course and high-end residential offerings, positioning the area as a new growth hub.
From newly opened roads to modern industrial parks and luxury resorts, Gia Lai’s project pipeline reflects a coordinated effort to unlock resources across transport, industry, tourism and services. Provincial authorities say the progress to date demonstrates the effectiveness of their strategic choices as the province moves closer to its development goals.