The opening ceremony was attended by head of the Party Central Committee's Commission for Policies and Strategies Nguyen Thanh Nghi; Deputy Prime Minister Ho Quoc Dung; Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism and head of the Steering Committee for National Tourism Year 2026 Nguyen Van Hung, ambassadors, consuls general, representatives of international organisations, and a large number of residents and visitors.

In his opening remarks, Hung said the event, running from March 23 to 30, features 244 activities held across communes and wards in the province.

Key highlights include a showcase of Gia Lai’s culinary arts, a pickleball tournament, an investment promotion conference, a tourism economic development forum, and cooperation signing events with four southern provinces of Laos and three northeastern localities of Cambodia.

Addressing the event, Deputy PM Ho Quoc Dung underscored Gia Lai’s tourism breakthroughs thanks to its focus on green and community-based tourism models that integrate ethnic cultural values and unique mountain–coast connectivity.

He pointed to the impressive figures of 12.4 million visitors and tourism revenue of 29 trillion VND (over 1.1 billion USD) in 2025 as clear evidence of this breakthrough, describing these achievements as a solid springboard that affirms Gia Lai’s rising position on Vietnam’s tourism map.

He stressed that building on the success of 21 previous editions, the Visit Vietnam Year 2026 is not only a important cultural and tourism event but also reflects a new strategic vision for development, which is expected to effectively harness the natural and cultural connectivity between the vast highlands and coastal regions, paving the way for a diverse, distinctive and identity-rich tourism ecosystem.

The opening night featured a spectacular art programme combining modern sound and lighting technology with traditional cultural elements of the Central Highlands, captivating thousands of spectators.

The programme was structured in four thematic chapters, and culminated in a dazzling, multi-coloured fireworks display.

A series of vibrant music and dance performances by artists from across the country further enriched the event, contributing to celebrating cultural diversity and highlighting the hospitality of Gia Lai’s people toward visitors./. VNA