Nie Y Trang recently took his family from Buon Don commune in Dak Lak province to the coastal city of Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa for the first time. Trang said they had experienced the ocean and local seafood with excitement.

“We came to see Nha Trang’s coastal roads and swim at Doc Let beach. It was wonderful. The beaches are beautiful and the seafood is amazing. Once the Khanh Hoa–Buon Ma Thuot expressway is completed, trade between the highlands and the coast, and tourist numbers, will definitely surge,” Trang recalled.

The South Central and Central Highlands region boasts a wide range of distinctive culture and tourism products. (Photo: Thai Binh)

Sensing a growing demand, many businesses in Dak Lak and Khanh Hoa are developing inter-regional tourism packages that expand the experiential space rather than focusing on individual destinations. This approach lays the foundation for “one route–multiple experiences” tours, helping regional tourism move from simply tapping potential to more sustainable, in-depth development.

Nguyen Minh Tri of Minh Tri Travel in Dak Lak said tourism enterprises in the two localities are working closely to shape these products. “One route now offers multiple destinations, combining the sea, forests, culture, and cuisine. It links Dak Lak and Khanh Hoa into a complete tourism product,” said Tri, adding, “In just three days, visitors can swim in Khanh Hoa, stop in eastern Dak Lak to see Nghenh Phong waterfall, and then head deeper into Dak Lak to experience culture, streams, forests, lakes, and more waterfalls.”

In a short period of time, tourists can experience a journey that includes multiple destinations featuring the sea, forests, and culture. (Photo: Thai Binh)

Le Chi Cong, head of the Tourism Faculty at Nha Trang University, says the Central Highlands–South Central Coast region is a unique development space that includes forests, the sea, plateaus, and diverse ethnic cultures. But uncoordinated transportation infrastructure between Khanh Hoa and Dak Lak is a major bottleneck that makes travel time-consuming and hampers inter-regional tours. A shortage of skilled human resources and a lag in technology also constrains progress.

Cong believes the strategic breakthroughs set out by the 14th National Party Congress are the solution. “Infrastructure connectivity breakthroughs will enable inter-regional tourism routes linking the highlands and the coast. This will extend visitor stays, increase spending, and improve destination competitiveness,” said Cong. At the same time, according to Cong, developing high-quality human resources who understand the region’s cultural and ecological characteristics will improve service quality, promote community-based tourism, and create sustainable livelihoods for local people.

Visitors are interested in the cultures of local ethnic minority groups. (Photo: Thai Binh)

Pham Minh Nhut, Chairman of the Khanh Hoa Tourism Association, said Khanh Hoa is focusing on high-experience product lines, improving service quality, and strengthening value chain linkages. “We’ll maximize our strengths to build higher-quality service and product packages. The goal is to attract more visitors to Khanh Hoa and achieve double-digit growth in line with the 14th National Party Congress Resolution.”

“We must reposition and restructure tourism, accelerate digital transformation, and develop a circular economy in a green, sustainable direction. This is the inevitable path forward,” Nhut noted.

With a target of welcoming 18.8 million visitors this year, Khanh Hoa expects tourism to become a spearhead economic sector making a significant contribution to provincial growth.

Nguyen Long Bien, Deputy Chairman of the provincial People’s Committee, underscosred the need to connect and create products with distinct identities. “With diverse landscapes and cultural assets, Khanh Hoa has many development opportunities. Looking ahead, we must focus on high-profile programs and events, open more flight routes, and develop new roads. Events must be organized on a large scale, and our promotion efforts must match that stature,” said Bien.

Linking the Central Highlands and the South Central Coast is a long-term strategic direction. Infrastructure investment, an innovative business mindset, and local leadership are positioning tourism in Khanh Hoa and the South Central region to really take off and contribute strongly to the regional and national economy.