Connecting regions, promoting tourism in the Central Highlands and South Central Coast

The tourism development linkage program between the Central Highlands cities and the coastal city of Tuy Hoa (Phu Yen) in the period of 2022 - 2024 has opened up many new directions, contributing to the formation of attractive inter-regional tourism products.

On the basis of promoting the unique potential of each locality, linkage activities not only help spread cultural and natural identity but also create a foundation to promote sustainable tourism economy .

From the minutes to the journey of experience "up the mountain - down to the sea"

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

This is an important milestone, demonstrating the determination of localities in promoting regional cooperation, developing tourism in a multi-center direction and effectively exploiting the advantages of each region.

A large number of tourists attended the 9th Buon Ma Thuot Coffee Festival in 2025.

With its unique geographical location, these 5 cities are located on the connecting axis between the Central Highlands and the South Central Coast. This land is blessed with many unique landscapes such as Serepok River, Krong Ana, Lak Lake, Bien Ho, Chu Yang Sin, Yok Don, Chu Mom Ray National Parks, etc.

Besides, Tuy Hoa coastline is more than 30 km long with pristine beauty, along with a rich system of historical and cultural relics, the Central Highlands gong cultural space - an intangible cultural heritage recognized by UNESCO and many unique traditional festivals such as elephant racing festival, dugout canoe racing festival, new rice festival...

The linkage program is implemented with specific contents such as: building and promoting specific tourism products of each locality on the media; coordinating the organization of fairs and tourism promotion events; encouraging businesses to open tours and linking routes between cities in the system.

In particular, cultural and tourism events taking place in rotation in localities have created conditions for tourists to get closer to indigenous values, contributing to enriching regional tourism experiences.

In just 3 years of implementation, the linkage program has brought about many encouraging results. From 12 tours and connecting routes in 2022, by 2024, this number has increased to more than 30 tours and routes, including typical tourism products such as "Blue Sea - Great Forest", "Green Road of the Central Highlands", "Central Heritage Road", community tourism, ecology, tourism associated with cultural heritage.

Connectivity is not just geographical, but cultural and strategic

The rate of intra-regional tourists between cities in the system reaches 6-10% of the total number of visitors each year, showing clear effectiveness in exploiting neighboring markets. Along with that, the number of tourists and revenue in localities have both grown strongly.

Tuy Hoa city has a 30 km long coastline.

Specifically, Pleiku City (Gia Lai) will welcome more than 625,000 visitors in 2022, achieving revenue of 447.7 billion VND; in 2023, it will reach 825,000 visitors and 625 billion VND in revenue; in 2024, it will increase to more than 1 million visitors, with revenue of more than 778 billion VND.

In Tuy Hoa City - the gateway connecting the sea and the highlands, the number of visitors has grown impressively: in 2022 it will reach 1.8 million visitors (revenue of VND 2,270 billion), in 2023 it will reach 2.7 million visitors (revenue of VND 3,890 billion), and in 2024 it will reach nearly 3.5 million visitors (revenue of VND 6,500 billion).

Buon Ma Thuot City (Dak Lak), the center of the Central Highlands, will welcome more than 2.1 million visitors in the 2021-2023 period, with revenue of about 1,781 billion VND; in 2024 alone, it will welcome over 1 million visitors, with revenue estimated at 920 billion VND.

These figures show the positive impact of regional connectivity not only in terms of passenger numbers but also in terms of economic value.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Sung, Vice Chairman of Pleiku City People's Committee, emphasized that the connection between cities is not simply a cooperation in terms of geography or products, but a resonance of potential, culture and strategic vision.

In fact, the linkage program has created conditions for localities to learn models and experiences in managing and developing tourism products. In addition, the cultural identity of the Central Highlands has been widely promoted to coastal tourists and vice versa, opening up many opportunities for comprehensive cooperation.

Not only stopping at tourism activities, trade fair programs, introducing OCOP products, local specialty products are also organized synchronously. Many businesses have signed cooperation agreements to distribute and expand markets in neighboring provinces.

According to Ms. Tran Thi Bich Lien, Secretary of Tuy Hoa City Business Association, the activities of displaying, selling and exchanging goods have contributed to increasing revenue and building brands for local products. She proposed continuing to support booth and transportation costs, promoting the digitalization of OCOP products and online sales (livestream) to connect more effectively between provinces and cities.

Towards central ward level linkage

According to Mr. Pham Tien, Permanent Vice Chairman of Buon Ma Thuot City People's Committee, implementing the Central's conclusions on reorganizing the government apparatus, including the policy of not organizing district-level governments, the connection between the 5 cities has temporarily stopped.

However, he affirmed that participating in the program over the past 3 years has brought many practical benefits, opening up opportunities for learning, investing and effectively promoting tourism.

Tuy Hoa City has pristine beauty, along with a rich system of historical and cultural relics.

Therefore, he proposed to continue maintaining the linkage model but move to the “central ward” level, which is the main administrative units in each city. This approach will contribute to maintaining the momentum of regional tourism development, ensuring flexibility and suitability with the new administrative organization.

The period 2026 – 2030 is expected to be a period of acceleration and breakthrough for Central Highlands – coastal tourism. Based on the linkage program for the period 2022 – 2024, localities are developing specific plans to maximize the potential for differentiation, outstanding opportunities and competitive advantages.

Increasing infrastructure investment, promoting digital transformation, improving service quality, developing human resources, preserving and promoting indigenous cultural values will be the pillars for developing regional tourism in a green - smart - sustainable direction.

The cooperation program between 5 cities in the past 3 years has proven one thing: when localities know how to "shake hands" at the right time and in the right way, tourism is not only a key economic sector but also a cultural bridge and a driving force for comprehensive development.

Source: Culture Newspaper

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/ket-noi-vung-thuc-day-du-lich-tay-nguyen-va-duyen-hai-nam-trung-bo-20250512141538222.htm