Imprint of tourism development association "Blue Sea

On June 25, 2022, in Pleiku City (Gia Lai Province), 4 cities of the Central Highlands provinces including Pleiku (Gia Lai Province), Kon Tum (Kon Tum Province), Gia Nghia (Dak Nong Province), Buon Ma Thuot City (Dak Lak Province) and Tuy Hoa City signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the tourism development cooperation program, period 2022 - 2025.

In addition to the important strategic position of the province, the above 5 cities also have favorable conditions to expand economic development exchanges, especially tourism development with many regions in the country.

The localities are endowed by nature with many valuable resources to exploit and develop tourism such as the landscapes along the Serepok, Krong Ana, Krong No rivers; the system of large lakes (Lak Lake, Bien Ho), Chu Mom Ray, Kon Ka Kinh, Yok Don, Chu Yang Sin National Parks and a coastline of over 30 km with pristine, poetic and charming beauty.

This is also a land with many historical, cultural, revolutionary relics, a unique heritage system such as the Central Highlands Gong Cultural Space; traditional architectural values (communal houses, long houses, tombs) and unique festivals (elephant racing, dugout canoe racing, gongs, new rice celebration...)

A large number of people and tourists participated in the Street Festival within the framework of the 9th Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival in 2025. Photo: Hoang Gia

According to the Memorandum of Understanding on the tourism development cooperation program between the 5 cities, every year they will discuss and develop plans to promote and introduce tourism products of the 5 cities on mass media and support in building tourism images, as a basis for destination marketing.

In the period of 2022 - 2024, tourism promotion activities in 5 cities in the system have had clear changes. In 2022, from 12 tours and connecting routes, by 2024 there were over 30 tours and connecting routes to cities in the Central Highlands and Tuy Hoa City. The rate of tourism attraction between cities in the Central Highlands and Tuy Hoa City during this period accounts for about 6 - 10% of annual tourist arrivals.

The implementation of the Memorandum of Understanding has opened up opportunities for travel companies and businesses in the cities to actively open new tours and routes. At the same time, promoting the exploitation of tours linking tourist destinations in the city with key tourist destinations inside and outside the province. In particular, through the organized events, many positive results have been achieved, contributing greatly to promoting and bringing the cultural identity and unique cuisine of the cities in the Central Highlands to the coastal city of Tuy Hoa. Tourist routes such as "Blue Sea - Great Forest", "Central Heritage Road", "Central Highlands Green Road", eco-tourism, community tourism and tourism products associated with cultural heritage have been successfully implemented.

According to Mr. Nguyen Huu Sung, Vice Chairman of the People's Committee of Pleiku City (Gia Lai Province), connecting tourism between cities is not simply a cooperation in terms of geography or products but also a resonance in terms of potential, culture and strategic vision. Pleiku City, together with the Central Highlands localities and the coastal city of Tuy Hoa, have clearly defined their role in building a diverse and unique tourism chain, contributing to bringing the image of the Central Highlands - coastal region closer to domestic and foreign tourists.

Over the past 3 years, the number of tourists to the cities in the system has grown dramatically. Of which, 3 cities attract a large number of visitors and tourism revenue has achieved very impressive numbers.

Specifically, Pleiku City will welcome 625,570 visitors in 2022, with tourism revenue reaching 447.7 billion VND; in 2023, it will welcome more than 825,000 visitors, with revenue reaching 625 billion VND; in 2024, it will welcome more than 1 million visitors, with revenue reaching more than 778 billion VND. Tuy Hoa City will welcome more than 1.8 million visitors in 2022, with revenue reaching 2,270 billion VND; in 2023, it will welcome 2.7 million visitors, with revenue reaching 3,890 billion VND; in 2024, it will welcome nearly 3.5 million visitors, with revenue reaching 6,500 billion VND. Meanwhile, Buon Ma Thuot City will welcome more than 2.1 million visitors in the 2021-2023 period, with total revenue estimated at 1,781 billion VND; In 2024, welcoming more than 1 million visitors, revenue is estimated at 920 billion VND...

Tourists take souvenir photos at Nghinh Phong tower, Tuy Hoa city, Phu Yen province.

Not only attracting tourists, trade fairs, exhibitions of specialty products, OCOP products held alternately between cities are among the activities that bring positive results.

Ms. Tran Thi Bich Lien, Secretary of Tuy Hoa City Business Association, said that through displaying - selling - exchanging - signing contracts, many products have found distributors in other provinces, contributing to increasing revenue, developing brands and expanding markets.

To make trade promotion and product advertising activities more effective, Ms. Lien proposed increasing support for businesses in terms of booth costs, transportation, media promotion; promoting the digitalization of OCOP products, livestreaming sales connecting between localities.

Vice Chairman of Buon Ma Thuot City People's Committee Pham Tien Hung said that in the coming time, implementing the conclusion of the Politburo and the Secretariat on the organization of the political system, including the content of not organizing district-level governments, the organization of connections of the 5 cities will be temporarily suspended.

Mr. Hung affirmed that for the 5 cities, participating in this tourism connection program has opened up many valuable opportunities, learning many good models and experiences in management, investment and development of tourism products between localities.

Therefore, he hopes that the People's Committees of the provinces and the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism will continue to pay attention to maintaining the connection and promoting tourism between central wards, thereby exploiting and maximizing the unique potential, outstanding opportunities, and competitive advantages of the locality to develop tourism, creating a solid foundation to achieve double-digit growth in the period of 2026 - 2030.

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/tin-noi-bat/202505/dau-an-lien-ket-phat-trien-du-lich-bien-xanh-rung-dai-ngan-29f0c8d/