A key highlight of the 2026 programme is the consolidation of promotion and marketing activities by central agencies, localities and businesses into a unified national plan. The approach enables stakeholders to proactively develop promotion schedules, ensure close coordination, avoid duplication, optimise socialised resources and strengthen linkages nationwide, thereby improving market outreach and enhancing Vietnam’s tourism brand in global competition.

In 2026, Vietnam will focus on major target markets, including nearby and traditional markets and comprehensive strategic partners with large visitor volumes and direct air links such as China, the Republic of Korea and Japan.
The country will also prioritise ASEAN markets with strong growth potential and emerging segments. In addition, attention will be given to long-haul, high-spending markets such as Western and Northern Europe and North America. Promising markets including Australia, Russia, Southern and Eastern Europe will continue to be developed. Vietnam will also tap into large potential markets such as the Middle East and India.

The tourism industry plans to implement 16 overseas promotion activities in 2026, while localities will organise 21 activities and businesses and economic groups will participate in 39 activities, demonstrating increasingly close coordination between central and local authorities and the private sector.

VNAT Director Nguyen Trung Khanh stressed that all domestic and international promotion and marketing activities are identified as key tasks, requiring focused and effective implementation. Events associated with the National Tourism Year 2026 in Gia Lai, especially the opening and closing ceremonies and major thematic activities, will serve as important highlights of the tourism industry in 2026.

Regarding digital promotion, Hoang Quoc Hoa, Director of the Vietnam Tourism Information Centre under the VNAT, said that alongside traditional promotion methods, the VNAT has in recent years concentrated on building and developing a digital ecosystem for tourism marketing. A range of digital platforms and applications have been launched to promote images, introduce products and provide visitor services with a tourist-centric approach, including the “Vietnam Travel” platform and various tourism management and business applications.

At the same time, the VNAT has strengthened cooperation with major technology companies and high-traffic digital platforms such as Google, YouTube and popular social networks to amplify tourism promotion messages and highlight destinations, particularly host localities of the National Tourism Year, including Gia Lai in 2026.

All VNAT-developed digital platforms and applications are currently introduced and updated at nentangso.vietnamtourism.gov.vn.

VNAT Director Khanh said that under the Government’s strong direction, the tourism industry must continue to improve product development and promotion efficiency to meet targets for international and domestic arrivals and total tourism revenue, contributing to the country’s goal of achieving double-digit economic growth in a pivotal year.

Vietnam targets 25 million international visitors, 150 million domestic visitors and total tourism revenue of VND1.125 quadrillion in 2026. The VNAT Director called for close coordination and support from localities, tourism authorities, businesses, airlines, the Vietnam Tourism Association, local tourism associations, media agencies and KOLs.

At the event, Vietnam Airlines announced nearly 140 promotion activities such as fairs, roadshows and fam trips in Vietnam and overseas markets including Europe, Northeast Asia and Southeast Asia. A memorandum of understanding between Vietnam Airlines and the People’s Committee of Gia Lai province was also signed to jointly promote Vietnam’s destinations on digital platforms and international media networks.

Gia Lai ready to host National Tourism Year 2026

VOV.VN - The Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT) and the People’s Committee of Gia Lai province on February 2 held a press conference in Hanoi to introduce National Tourism Year – Gia Lai 2026, themed “Aspiration for the Blue Sea-Radiance of the Great Highlands”.