ĐẮK LẮK — The Central Highlands province of Đắk Lắk has launched its 2026 tourism development programme, featuring many large-scale events and festivals to attract tourists.

The programme, themed Returning to the Land of Heritage, promotes the linkage between the sea, forest, and highland areas, and the application of digital transformation.

The highlight of the programme is the Đắk Lắk Tuna Festival 2026 that is scheduled to take place in April in Tuy Hòa ward.

The festival will include art performances, an art installation exhibition, a check-in space, and storytelling art with tuna models created using light paintings and the display, introduction, processing, and tasting of tuna dishes, and culinary demonstrations.

As part of the tourism stimulus activities for the summer and the National Day on September 2, the province will organise music nights and tourism fashion shows at Nghinh Phong Tower Square.

Many booths showcasing and promoting beach tourism products will be set up by the provincial tourism industry, local authorities, and businesses during the events.

At the end of the year, a week of cultural heritage of ethnic groups will be held in Buôn Ma Thuột ward, featuring a brocade festival, performances of intangible cultural heritage and traditional costume shows.

Deputy Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee Đào Mỹ said the province will focus on efforts to attract investors to exploit tourism resources and call for investment in eco-tourism projects, resort tourism, entertainment areas, and large-scale tourism service complexes.

The provincial tourism sector is developing a smart tourism application system and a digital tourism map with comprehensive information such as services, transportation, and weather.

It will develop community-based tourism models linked to heritage sites and build a themed tourism route this year.

The province targeted welcoming 8 million tourists this year, a 9 per cent year-on-year increase.

Tourism revenue is expected to reach VNĐ16 trillion (US$609.1 million) this year, up 17 per cent year-on-year. — VNS