Tuồng (classical opera) artists from Gia Lai Province performed in Hà Nội on February 1 to promote Việt Nam National Tourism Year 2026 in Gia Lai Province. — VNS Photo Đoàn Tùng

HÀ NỘI — Việt Nam National Tourism Year 2026 will feature a series of tourism, cultural and sporting events themed Gia Lai – Mountains Embraces The Sea in Gia Lai Province.

The National Tourism Year is intended to represent more than a symbolic expansion of geographic space following administrative mergers in Gia Lai Province.

The province arises from the merger of central Bình Định and the former province of Gia Lai, spanning 21,576sq.km with a population of nearly 3.6 million.

“The National Tourism Year is one of the country’s largest annual events,” said Nguyễn Trùng Khánh, director general of the Việt Nam National Authority of Tourism at the press conference in Hà Nội earlier this week.

“Over its implementation, the programme has demonstrated its significant role in strengthening the tourism brand of host localities while also contributed to socio-economic development. It has created jobs and livelihoods for local communities, enhanced cultural exchange and improved the capacity to host large-scale tourism activities.”

Gia Lai has all of the conditions required to host these events, including development space, natural resources, cultural identity and a strong political commitment to tourism development, according to Khánh.

Hosted in Gia Lai Province, the 2026 National Tourism Year aims to foster connections between the highlands and the coastal and island regions, as well as between majestic natural landscapes and distinctive ethnic cultural identities.

This approach also represents a new developments positioning tourism growth within a balanced framework that reconciles conservation and heritage preservation with economic growth.

This year Gia Lai Province will begin implementing the resolutions of the 14th National Party Congress and the first Gia Lai Province Party Congress, which identify tourism as one of the province’s five key pillars to help boost the economy.

“This marks a significant milestone, as the former Gia Lai Province and Bình Định Province are officially merged into the new Gia Lai Province, creating a uniquely intersecting region,” said Đỗ Thị Diệu Hạnh, director of the Gia Lai Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

“The province will fully capitalise on these strengths to drive sustainable and breakthrough development.”

According to the plan, the 2026 National Tourism Year will kick off in the first quarter with the Gia Lai – Welcome 2026 Countdown, alongside a series of Gia Lai Tết (Lunar New Year) celebrations marking the Year of the Horse.

This will be followed in the second quarter by the official opening ceremony accompanied by activities aimed at promoting the destination’s image, strengthening connectivity, attracting investment and advancing tourism development.

From July to September, a lineup of vibrant events including the VnExpress Marathon International 2026, Việt Nam Cinema Association’s Golden Kite Awards and the Summer Tourism Festival will take place, underscoring efforts to diversify tourism products and attract visitors during the peak travel season.

The International Central Highlands Gong Festival, the Wild Sunflower Week – Chư Đăng Ya Volcano and the closing ceremony are scheduled to take place from October through December.

Gia Lai is home to some of the most representative cultural values of the Central Highlands and the south central coast.

The Space of Gong Culture in the Central Highlands, recognised by UNESCO in 2005 as a Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity, along with folk festivals and traditional performing arts have become a distinctive cultural asset, providing a strong foundation for sustainable, identity-rich tourism development.

In addition, the province has a wealth of outstanding natural and cultural landmarks, including the Rộc Tưng – Gò Đá Special National Relic Site, Kon Ka Kinh National Park, which has been designated as an ASEAN Heritage Park, Chư Đăng Ya volcano, Biển Hồ (Sea Lake), Chăm towers and the International Centre for Interdisciplinary Science and Education.

Quy Nhơn Ward has been listed by Lonely Planet among the top 25 destinations worldwide for 2026 and has also been awarded the title of ASEAN Clean Tourism City 2026, further underscoring the region’s growing appeal and prominent standing on the regional and global tourism map.

Converging connections

At the press conference, Khánh also announced Việt Nam’s tourism promotion and marketing programme for 2026. Amid the global recovery and growth of tourism, Việt Nam’s tourism sector has been widely regarded as a bright spot in the broader economic landscape.

Building on the region's growth in 2025, Khánh reaffirmed the sector’s 2026 targets of welcoming 25 million international visitors and 150 million domestic travellers.

“To achieve the target, the sector will implement a range of coordinated and comprehensive solutions,” Khánh said.

“We will focus on institutional improvements to establish a solid foundation for tourism development, to enhancing the quality of tourism products and services to meet increasing demand."

Việt Nam’s tourism sector will also focus on a set of priority target markets.

These include nearby and traditional markets and comprehensive strategic partners with direct air connectivity, such as China, the Republic of Korea and Japan; high-value markets like western Europe, northern Europe and north America; areas with strong growth potential like Australia, Russia and southern and eastern Europe; and large markets with high potential, such as the Middle East and India. — VNS