Gia Lai Province aims to welcome 15 million visitors and earn more than VNĐ35 trillion (US$1.4 billion) from tourism in 2026, with tourism expected to become a key economic sector by 2030. — Photo: vietnamtourism.gov.vn

GIA LAI — Gia Lai Province has set a target of earning more than VNĐ35 trillion (US$1.4 billion) from tourism in 2026, as the Central Highlands locality prepares to host the National Tourism Year 2026.

The goal was highlighted at a tourism promotion conference held on April 9 within the framework of the Vietnam International Travel Mart Hanoi 2026.

Đỗ Thị Diệu Hạnh, director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said that the province's hosting of the National Tourism Year 2026 helps promote a renewed image of Gia Lai, built on stronger linkages between the Central Highlands and coastal regions.

The event, which lasts throughout the year, features six key programme clusters and more than 100 activities, and in the first quarter of 2026 alone, over 35 tourism promotion events were organised both within and outside the province.

The opening week on March consisted of tourism forums, investment promotion conferences, culinary festivals and art performances, drawing large numbers of visitors.

Beyond leveraging the national event, Gia Lai aims to build a green and sustainable tourism ecosystem.

To attract investment, the province has pledged to significantly improve the business environment, cut administrative processing times by 30-50 per cent, and offer preferential policies on taxes and land rental.

At an investment promotion conference in 2026, a total of 273 projects were licensed and signed, with combined capital of around VNĐ850 trillion.

Experts highlighted the province’s advantages, including diverse tourism space and a full ecosystem of products such as ecotourism, coastal and resort tourism, cultural and heritage tourism, and community-based tourism.

Gia Lai should accelerate the development of new tourism products, strengthen human resources, apply technology and enhance digital promotion efforts.

The province aims to welcome 15 million visitors in 2026, with tourism expected to become a key economic sector by 2030. — VNS