Lam Dong: Culture and tourism - driving force for economic development

Lam Dong is not only famous for its majestic nature and mild climate, but also for its rich and unique culture. The precious assets bestowed by nature and the cultural treasures it possesses create an important foundation for tourism development and become a driving force in the local socio-economic development.

Xuan Huong Lake - national scenic spot

From natural resources

When it comes to Lam Dong, everyone thinks of a land with many spectacular, unique and different landscapes. Moreover, it is arranged by a geographical location with many advantages and a favorable temperate climate. That factor has created an outstanding advantage in tourism development and formed diverse tourism products from sightseeing, relaxation, cultural exploration to discovery tourism, adventure tourism...

With a forest coverage rate of 53% of the natural area, Lam Dong also owns the Lang Biang World Biosphere Reserve, Bidoup - Nui Ba National Park and Cat Tien National Park, creating a high and unique biodiversity on this plateau land of the Southern Central Highlands. Based on these natural factors, up to now, Lam Dong has been building two tourist areas recognized as national tourist areas; 13 beautiful landscapes recognized as national scenic spots, 5 provincial scenic spots are favorite destinations of tourists. Along with the system of lakes, waterfalls, rivers and streams stretching from Lam Vien Plateau down to Di Linh Plateau, there are also high-level agricultural production areas creating diverse, unique and characteristic agricultural products in the whole country - one of the advantages for forming new products - agricultural tourism.

To the Cultural “Soft Power”

Looking back over the past decade, the work of “building and developing Vietnamese culture and people to meet the requirements of sustainable national development” will show us “the panoramic picture of Lam Dong culture” up to this point. That picture is assessed through the process of implementing the tasks including: Building new people, a healthy cultural environment; culture in politics and economics along with improving the quality and efficiency of cultural activities, developing cultural industries and international integration in Lam Dong culture in the past years and the following years.

The comprehensive development of cultural values ​​and human strengths in line with the trend of industrialization, modernization and international integration has always been directed and oriented by the Provincial Party Committee and the Provincial People's Committee throughout the development process. Accordingly, attention is paid to building cultural standards for Lam Dong people to ensure the orientation towards the values ​​of truth, goodness and beauty, and in almost all aspects of cultural and educational activities, it becomes a factor in fostering these core values. At the same time, to create a healthy cultural environment, Lam Dong has promoted the implementation of the contents of building cultural life at the grassroots level, focusing on building cultural families and communities; building a civilized lifestyle; improving the quality of activities of cultural institutions; organizing cultural and artistic movements to improve the spiritual and cultural life of the people. Statistics show that from 2011 to 2024, Lam Dong has allocated an investment budget of 13,865 billion VND to build cultural institutions.

On the other hand, Lam Dong has successfully implemented the target program of cultural development, organizing the restoration of a number of traditional festivals to promote good cultural values ​​imbued with national cultural identity. Many traditional cultural activities are widely organized to contribute to the restoration, preservation and maintenance of traditional folk games of ethnic groups.

Currently, the province has 84 traditional festivals of ethnic minorities, of which 55 festivals are being maintained regularly; at the same time, the restoration of festivals includes: Pothi Festival, Nho Wer Festival, Bok Chu-bur Festival, rituals of offering rice to the fields, bringing rice to the warehouse, sowing rice ceremony, husband-catching ceremony and the formation of folk music clubs of ethnic minorities. In addition, Lam Dong currently has 92 gong clubs with more than 2,000 members participating in activities, contributing to the preservation of world cultural heritage and being a unique tourism product attracting visitors.

Lam Dong always focuses on preserving, maintaining and promoting the cultural identity of indigenous peoples; investing in and embellishing many historical relics, scenic spots, restoring a number of unique traditional festivals, especially continuing to promote heritages recognized by UNESCO such as the Central Highlands Gong Cultural Space, effectively organizing many cultural and tourism events at provincial, national and regional levels, such as the Da Lat Flower Festival.

In addition, Lam Dong also pays attention to building and developing cultural industries, investing in developing cultural products for tourism; gradually developing industries such as: Performing arts, cinema, fashion, music... associated with promoting the image of Lam Dong people, contributing to preserving and promoting the cultural identity of the Vietnamese nation. Notably, proactively building and implementing international integration programs, increasing the attraction of foreign direct investment in advantageous fields of the province. Cultural exchange activities are increasingly effective, contributing to raising the position and image of Da Lat - Lam Dong people in the world and the region. Up to now, Lam Dong has established friendly cooperative relations with 6 foreign localities including: Champasak Province and Bolykhamxay Province (Laos), East Flanders Province (Belgium), Occitanie Region (France), Guri City (Gyeonggi Province, Korea), Chuncheon City (Gangwon Province, Korea) established friendly cooperative relations with Lam Dong...

Da Lat City in particular is recognized as a UNESCO Creative City in the field of Music, contributing to affirming its position as a city with rich, diverse and unique musical activities; a convergence of many musical cultures, contributing to the development of the cultural and tourism industry and an opportunity to promote musical cultural identity to the world.

And contribute to economic development

With many outstanding potentials in terms of rich cultural resources, diverse natural landscapes, and temperate climate mentioned above, it can be said that Lam Dong culture and tourism are playing an important role in the socio-economic development of the province. Specifically, in 2024, Lam Dong welcomed about 10 million visitors to visit and relax, an increase of 15.6% over the same period last year; total revenue is estimated at 18,000 billion VND, an increase of 15% over the same period last year. Thereby, Lam Dong tourism industry has created tens of thousands of direct and indirect jobs for local people. In 2024 alone, the tourism industry in Lam Dong created about 35,000 direct jobs related to tourism services. Not only attracting domestic and foreign tourists, tourism development also entails the need for investment in infrastructure, hotels, resorts, entertainment areas... Up to now, Lam Dong has attracted 120 investment projects in the tourism sector with a total registered investment capital of more than 47,830 billion VND and has completed 40 projects, of which 37 projects have come into operation. Regarding facilities and technical infrastructure, Lam Dong currently has 112 areas and tourist attractions, creating diversity and richness for building tours and tourist routes in the province. Along with 3,178 tourist accommodation establishments with a total of over 43,600 rooms, ensuring to meet the needs of tourists.

At a recent scientific conference held in Da Lat, according to Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Dinh - Director of the Institute of Tourism Economics, Chairman of the Science and Training Council, Vietnam Tourism Association, with its great potential in natural landscapes, temperate climate, diverse cultural heritage and unique human ecosystem, Lam Dong - especially Da Lat City - is affirming its position as a leading tourism and cultural center in the Central Highlands region as well as the whole country. Tourism not only plays a key economic role but also acts as a bridge to preserve and spread traditional and modern cultural values, promoting exchanges between regions and internationally. “Developing tourism associated with culture not only helps improve the material and spiritual life of the people, but also contributes to building the image of a dynamic, friendly and rich Lam Dong in the integration process. In the coming time, in the orientation of cultural and tourism development, Lam Dong province needs to focus on the factors of “green - sustainable - identity”, thereby creating a solid foundation for comprehensive and long-term socio-economic development”, said Prof. Dr. Nguyen Van Dinh.

Source: https://bvhttdl.gov.vn/lam-dong-van-hoa-va-du-lich-dong-luc-thuc-day-phat-trien-kinh-te-20250626111241113.htm