Opportunity "convergence"

Marine economy is a new driving force for Lam Dong

According to Decision No. 759/QD-TTg dated April 14, 2025 of the Prime Minister, Lam Dong province, Binh Thuan province and Dak Nong province will merge into a new province named Lam Dong. The new Lam Dong province will have an area of 24,233 km² and a population of 3,324,400 people. After the merger, Lam Dong will become the largest province in the country.

Currently, the three provinces of Lam Dong - Binh Thuan - Dak Nong, although having differences in natural conditions, socio-economic conditions, but with the specific potentials in terms of geography, resources, people and infrastructure, Lam Dong province (new) is facing a great opportunity to build an effective regional linkage structure. The merger will create a large territory with uniform natural conditions, making it easy to plan the overall development of high-tech agriculture , eco-tourism, agricultural processing industry and renewable energy.

The merger of Lam Dong - Binh Thuan - Dak Nong is not only a matter of reorganizing administrative boundaries, optimizing resources, exploiting economic potential, promoting regional linkages, forming major economic centers, creating conditions to enhance competitiveness and attract investment, in line with the trend of international integration, but also a strategic development solution. In the current context of regional development, organizing economic space linkages between localities is a prerequisite for effectively exploiting local potentials, enhancing regional linkages, promoting sustainable, balanced and effective development.

Architect Tran Ngoc Chinh - Chairman of the Vietnam Urban Planning and Development Association, former Deputy Minister of Construction, said: Reorganizing economic space associated with the development of the urban system in this inter-region will contribute to building a new economic driving force in the Southern Central Highlands and South Central Coast, especially in the orientation of developing Da Lat into a political - cultural - scientific and technological center of the region and the whole country.

Located at the intersection of the Central Highlands, the Southeast and the South Central Coast, the three provinces of Lam Dong - Binh Thuan - Dak Nong can become an important inter-regional bridge between the inland and the sea. Lam Dong stands out with high-tech agriculture, tourism and research and education potential. Dak Nong has strengths in energy, minerals and agriculture and forestry. Binh Thuan is the center of marine economy, tourism and renewable energy.

The connection between major cities such as Da Lat - Gia Nghia - Phan Thiet opens up an effective cross-regional development axis. Da Lat can become a regional center for culture, science and technology. Phan Thiet aims to play the role of a center for sea tourism, logistics and sea services. Gia Nghia plays the role of an energy and freight transit hub. Regarding tourism, Lam Dong province has a long, beautiful coastline, forests, mountains and artificial lakes, which will bring diverse and unique ecological experiences. The "highland - sea" product chain, when connected, will attract a large number of domestic and foreign tourists.

Currently, Da Lat is considered the “capital” of tourism and high-tech agriculture in Lam Dong, while Dak Nong has great potential in minerals and renewable energy. The merger will create a central urban area with strong appeal, capable of becoming a new economic growth pole of the Central Highlands, promoting investment, attracting high-quality human resources and improving the lives of people in the region.

After the merger, the new province will have Lien Khuong and Phan Thiet international airports, the North-South railway, the North-South expressway, the Dau Giay - Lien Khuong expressway, the railway expected to connect Da Lat - Phan Thiet, seaports and a number of inland waterways with inter-regional connectivity. The completion of upgrading National Highways 28B and 55 and the construction of the Dau Giay - Lien Khuong expressway will ensure seamless inter-provincial connectivity. Construction of a cargo transit port in Ke Ga will enhance import-export capacity. Development of a modern logistics system to serve the global supply chain.

However, in addition to the potential and expected benefits, the merger of three provinces into new administrative units is posing many challenges in organizing economic development space in a synchronous and sustainable manner. These challenges are not only related to planning but also to institutions, economic structures and specific social and cultural factors of each region.

Architect Tran Ngoc Chinh also commented that one of the major barriers in connecting economic development space is the weak transport and logistics infrastructure system. Although there are large projects being implemented, the East-West connection, especially from the highlands to the sea, is still limited, lacking horizontal connections between provinces; especially inter-district and inter-commune traffic. In addition, freight transport routes, dry port infrastructure, and warehouses are also underdeveloped.

Ta Dung is an attractive tourist destination. Photo: SangDL

Thus, the merger of Lam Dong - Binh Thuan - Dak Nong to form a new administrative unit is a breakthrough step, but the difficulties in organizing a synchronous and effective economic space cannot be underestimated. The challenges from infrastructure, institutions, economic differentiation and natural and social characteristics require a close, scientific regional planning strategy, along with flexible and appropriate support mechanisms for transformation. Only when these difficulties are well resolved, will the merger truly become a lever for sustainable development of the Southern Highlands in the future.

Over the years, Da Lat City has been known as an important tourism, economic and cultural center of Lam Dong province and the Central Highlands; a place with a global brand for resort tourism, high-tech agriculture, attracting tourists as well as domestic and foreign investors, having a strong influence and attachment to the image of the Southern Central Highlands. The economic role of Da Lat has gone beyond the scope of Lam Dong province and has a great influence in the Central Highlands - South Central region. In the planning of Lam Dong province, Da Lat City is planned to develop in the direction of being the administrative - political, economic - cultural, tourism, science and technology center of the Central Highlands region; Da Lat and its vicinity are planned to become a high-quality tourism center of the Southeast Asian region, becoming an attractive destination for tourists from developed countries with high incomes. Compared to Gia Nghia (Dak Nong) or Phan Thiet (Binh Thuan), Da Lat has a not-so-large population, but has a unique urban character: it is a type I city under the province, with a developed system of services, education, and health care. These are favorable conditions for the construction and operation of the provincial administrative apparatus after the merger.

According to Architect Tran Duc Loc - Vice Chairman of the Lam Dong Province Architectural Planning Association, the new Lam Dong will not stop at being a "unified province" but will become a "converging province" - where many cultural regions coexist, develop, dialogue and spread. A special administrative - economic - cultural entity, leading the country in multi-regional - multi-sector - multi-identity planning model, commensurate with the ranking of the largest natural area scale in the country.

Prof. Dr. Mai Trong Nhuan - former Director of Hanoi National University - hopes that Lam Dong will become a green and clean agricultural supermarket of the whole country and an ideal resort destination for domestic and foreign tourists. Lam Dong is not only a leading locality in high-tech agriculture, but also possesses the golden conditions to become a health "charging station" - a place where nature, technology and sustainable lifestyle are combined.

Source: https://baolamdong.vn/kinh-te/202506/van-hoi-hoi-tu-0c53663/