Located in central Pleiku, Ơp Village offers a traditional Jrai communal house (nhà rông), gong performances, wooden statues, xoang dances and handicrafts such as wood carving, weaving and basketry. Local authorities view these elements as core assets for expanding experiential cultural tourism.
However, officials acknowledged that the limited number of artifacts displayed inside the communal house still falls short of visitor expectations.
After meeting with community members, Lịch commended local efforts to preserve cultural spaces and traditional crafts, noting that Ơp Village holds significant cultural value and strong foundations for tourism growth. She asked the Pleiku Ward People’s Committee to propose funding for infrastructure upgrades, the creation of signature tourism products, personnel training and the protection of traditional cultural practices.
Ia Nueng Village, located opposite the Biển Hồ Ecotourism Area and along a key route connecting several cultural sites, was also highlighted as a promising destination. Its strategic position forms a concentrated tourism circuit linking Biển Hồ, Ia Nueng, Chư Đang Ya Volcano, Bửu Minh Pagoda and the century-old pine forest.
Biển Hồ Commune leaders urged the province to expand investment in infrastructure and tourism workforce development. They proposed new experiential products, including brocade weaving, basketry workshops and short trekking tours across nearby forests and hills.
Vice Chairwoman Lịch instructed the commune to repair the village’s traditional water source and directed the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to initiate procedures to recognize Ia Nueng’s banyan tree as a heritage tree.
The field survey marks a key step in Gia Lai’s strategy to harness traditional cultural values and promote community-based tourism as a sustainable development path.
