Gia Lai sees cultural heritage as a “living asset” for tourism and creative economy growth

Speaking to Gia Lai Newspaper and Radio & Television, Vice Chairwoman of the Gia Lai Provincial People’s Committee Nguyễn Thị Thanh Lịch outlined the province’s vision for integrating culture into sustainable development.

* Following the success of the First Gia Lai Provincial Ethnic Cultural Festival 2026, how does the province view the role of culture in the current phase of development?

- The recent Festival demonstrated that culture is not only a spiritual value but also a driving force for development in this new era. Through the event, Gia Lai reaffirmed culture as a foundation for strengthening identity and national unity, which are essential for long-term stability and development.

At present, culture also helps raise the province’s profile and promote the image of Gia Lai and its people, thereby attracting investment and expanding cooperation opportunities.

Importantly, the province sees culture as opening up major opportunities for economic growth, particularly in tourism, services and the creative economy.

Cultural values such as the gong cultural space, festivals, cuisine and traditional crafts can become signature products if developed systematically, creating sustainable livelihoods for local communities.

* How can culture be integrated into other provincial development plans to ensure coherence?

- We do not consider culture a separate sector. Culture is a “soft resource” that shapes human development and improves spiritual life quality, thereby supporting sustainable development rather than only economic growth.

Culture should be consistently integrated into urban and rural planning, education and especially tourism.

From the experience of organizing the Festival, Gia Lai is shifting from a mindset focused solely on “cultural preservation” to one that leverages culture as a development driver. Culture is both a goal for building a high-quality spiritual life and an endogenous force for sustainable economic growth.

* Could you elaborate on the province’s conservation strategy so that heritage truly becomes a resource?

- A key part of the province’s strategy is moving from “static preservation” to “dynamic preservation,” turning heritage into “living assets”.

Static preservation means placing heritage in museums or archives. Dynamic preservation allows heritage to exist within contemporary life. Heritage should not only appear in museums, relic sites, festivals or performances, but also in tourism, education, arts and community activities.

The province has identified cultural tourism, particularly community-based tourism, as a central direction. Local people are the main actors in preservation. They take pride in their identity and, importantly, should directly benefit economically from heritage.

When culture generates economic value, communities will preserve and promote it voluntarily and sustainably.

* Artisans are often described as “living treasures.” Does the province have specific solutions to support them in preserving and teaching heritage?

- The province will continue implementing practical support policies for artisans. Honouring them is important, but more importantly, opportunities must be created for them to participate in tourism activities, performances and the teaching of younger generations.

This is essential to prevent heritage from fading away.

Another important direction is accelerating heritage digitization. Inventorying, documenting and building databases will support long-term preservation while also creating foundations for promoting tourism and cultural products in the digital environment.

The province also encourages the use of cultural materials in creative industries such as design, handicrafts, cuisine and performance arts in order to increase added value.

All these measures share a common goal: heritage should not only be protected but should also generate livelihoods and contribute directly to socio-economic development while preserving cultural identity over the long term.

* Gia Lai has strengths in both forests and seas. How will the province realize its tourism vision connecting the “great forests - blue seas” space?

- The province aims to develop cultural tourism in a connected, distinctive and sustainable manner, focusing on the “great forests – blue seas” space as a unique advantage.

In the Central Highlands area, tourism products will highlight the gong cultural space, festivals, traditional crafts and the community life of ethnic groups.

Meanwhile, coastal areas will focus on marine culture, fishermen’s festivals, Bả Trạo rituals, Bình Định traditional martial arts, hát bội and bài chòi folk singing.

The combination of forest landscapes and coastal culture will help create interconnected tourism routes and offer visitors a diverse “forest – highland – sea” experience.

Linking Gia Lai with coastal provinces in central Vietnam is expected to extend visitor stays and increase tourism value. However, the guiding principle remains that preservation must go hand in hand with development, and tourism benefits must return to local communities.

* What solutions will the province prioritize to ensure culture becomes an endogenous strength?

- The province’s long-term orientation is to build culture as a solid spiritual foundation that serves as both a goal and a driving force for sustainable development.

Culture must be placed on par with the economy, politics and society in development strategies. All policies should take cultural factors into account to ensure development does not erode identity but instead honours and promotes traditional values.

We identify people as the centre of development. Building a Gia Lai citizenry with a strong sense of identity and pride in their roots will create long-term strength.

A key task is continuing the shift from simple “preservation” to “promotion”, bringing heritage into daily life, tourism and the creative economy. At the same time, the province will intensify promotion and integration efforts to introduce Gia Lai culture to wider audiences and raise the province’s profile.

When culture truly permeates all aspects of life, it becomes the strongest endogenous force for Gia Lai’s sustainable and distinctive development.

*Thank you for the conversation!