On the afternoon of September 24, at the World Coffee Museum, the Hanoi Department of Tourism, in collaboration with the Departments of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Lam Dong, Quang Ngai, and Khanh Hoa provinces, organized a conference to promote and cooperate in tourism development between Hanoi and provinces in Central - Central Highlands at the World Coffee Museum in Buon Ma Thuot, Dak Lak province, with nearly 250 delegates in attendance.
Delegates attending the conference
The conference was chaired by Comrade Tran Trung Hieu, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Tourism, and Comrade Tran Hong Tien, Director of the Dak Lak Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.
In his opening remarks, Comrade Tran Trung Hieu emphasized that the overarching goal of the cooperation between Hanoi and the Central - Central Highlands provinces is to build unique and diverse inter-provincial and inter-regional tourism product chains that are highly appealing, connecting destinations based on various themes such as:
Cultural and Heritage Connection – exploiting the cultural and historical values of Hanoi and Quang Ngai (with historical and cultural relics), along with traditional festivals and distinctive craft villages, to create in-depth cultural tours that appeal to both domestic and international visitors and encourage longer stays.
Comrade Tran Trung Hieu, Deputy Director of the Hanoi Department of Tourism, delivers the opening speech at the conference.
Nature and Experience Connection – combining the strengths of ecological, wellness, and medical tourism in Lam Dong and Khanh Hoa with the unique natural landscapes of the Central Highlands (Dak Lak, Gia Lai) to develop experiential and nature-based exploration tours.
Culinary and Shopping Connection – showcasing Hanoi’s signature dishes together with local specialties from regions such as Dak Lak (coffee), Lam Dong (tea, vegetables), Quang Ngai (goby fish), and Khanh Hoa (bird’s nest, seafood) to build diverse and attractive culinary tourism products.
MICE and Sports Tourism Connection – leveraging Hanoi’s central role to expand MICE tourism in combination with outdoor sports activities and mountain exploration in provinces such as Lam Dong, Dak Lak, Gia Lai, and Khanh Hoa, thereby attracting new customer segments.
Comrade Tran Hong Tien, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, speaks at the conference.
Notably, during the conference, a signing ceremony for a cooperation agreement on tourism development between the Hanoi Department of Tourism and the Departments of Culture, Sports, and Tourism of Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Lam Dong, Quang Ngai, and Khanh Hoa provinces for the period 2026-2030 took place. This is an important aspect of the collaboration and tourism development between the capital Hanoi and other provinces and cities nationwide following the upcoming administrative unit restructuring.
The signing of the tourism development cooperation agreement for the period 2026-2030.
At the conference, many engaging presentations were made by speakers and tourism experts on topics such as digital transformation in tourism, including a presentation titled "Opportunities and Challenges for Localities in Tourism Development After the Merger of Provinces and Cities" by Ms. Nhu Thi Ngan, General Director of Hanoi Tourism; and a presentation on "Applying Digital Ecosystems in Managing, Promoting, and Connecting Inter-Regional Tourism" by Mr. Nguyen Quyet Tam, a digital transformation expert and director of Viet Iso.
Additionally, Comrade Nguyen Dan Huy, Deputy Chairman of the Ba Dinh People's Committee, passionately shared insights on Hanoi's new tourism product themed "Experience in Building and Developing Cultural-Heritage Tourism Products at the Pearl Island - Truc Bach Tourist Site."
The exhibition area showcasing products and community tourism models linked to rural agricultural tourism and cultural tourism was organized by the Hanoi Department of Tourism and participating provinces at the conference.
Speaking at the conference, Comrade Tran Hong Tien, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dak Lak Province, emphasized that Hanoi and Dak Lak have collaborated on numerous tourism introduction programs, forming linked tourism routes and promoting destination images on digital platforms. This cooperation has yielded positive results, contributing to an increase in tourist numbers and enhancing the destination's image. Tourism businesses from both localities have supported each other in promotion at cultural and political events, actively participating in tourism fairs, and organizing survey trips for Hanoi businesses. Following these survey trips, many travel companies in Hanoi have included Dak Lak's tourism routes and destinations in their tour programs to introduce to domestic and international tourists.
The delegation for promotion and cooperation from Hanoi and other provinces conducted a practical survey at the Dak Lak Museum.
In the first eight months of 2025, Dak Lak welcomed approximately 5,325,000 visitors, a 40.76% increase compared to the same period in 2024, with total revenue from tourism reaching 9.835 trillion VND, up 58.57%. Notably, the market of visitors from Hanoi and northern provinces accounted for a significant proportion.
This event not only strengthens the cooperative relationship between the two localities but also opens up a new direction for tourism development, connecting the beauty of the Central Highlands with the coastal areas of Central Vietnam, creating a unique journey from "Hanoi's Old Quarter to Tuy Hoa's blue sea."
Comrade Le Phuc Long - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Dak Lak Province reported on the discussion and proposed tourism cooperation between Hanoi City and Dak Lak Province.
Within the framework of the conference, the Hanoi Department of Tourism launched an exhibition area to introduce products and community tourism models linked to rural agricultural tourism and cultural tourism of Hanoi, featuring areas such as: a photo area showcasing distinctive images of the culture, people, and tourism of Hanoi and Đắk Lắk; an exhibition area introducing OCOP products and handicraft gifts; and an area showcasing community tourism destinations, agricultural tourism models, and cultural tourism of Hanoi, Dak Lak, Gia Lai, Lam Dong, Quang Ngai, and Khanh Hoa. The exhibition area received significant attention from the public and tourists, especially from Dak Lak.
According to the plan, from September 23 to 27, 2025, the Hanoi Department of Tourism will organize a program for promotion, advertising, and cooperation in tourism development, as well as experience exchange, connecting and developing community tourism products linked to agriculture and rural areas between Hanoi and the Central Highlands provinces of Dak Lak and Lam Dong.
The promotion and cooperation delegation from Hanoi, led by the Director of the Hanoi Department of Tourism, includes specialized departments from the Tourism Department, representatives from the Hanoi Tourism Association, digital tourism transformation experts, representatives from several wards in Hanoi, and nearly 20 travel businesses.
After the conference program, the promotion and cooperation delegation from Hanoi will conduct a practical survey in Dak Lak and Lam Dong, visiting destinations such as the special national relic site Buon Ma Thuot prison, surveying the Draynur waterfall on the Srepok River, Ta Dung Lake, the Sound Museum (the only one in Southeast Asia), and Eva eco village.
