Turning challenges into opportunities for Da Lat tourism in the new phase.

Russian tourists experience visiting the glass bridge at TTC World - Valley of Love tourist area in Da Lat.

During a period of significant change, Lam Dong's tourism industry launched a strategy to transform challenges into opportunities for Da Lat tourism amidst fluctuating fuel prices and the temporary closure of Lien Khuong Airport throughout the summer of 2026.

Opening up a new customer segment

The temporary closure of Lien Khuong International Airport (Duc Trong commune) for construction and upgrades for approximately six months, coinciding with the peak summer tourist season, was a test for Da Lat tourism. In response to these disruptions, many tourism businesses in central Da Lat proactively changed their familiar service supply chains to compensate for the shortfall in air travel.

Despite it being the beginning of the week, the Valley of Love tourist area (Lam Vien ward, Da Lat) still welcomed many groups of tourists from the Russian Federation, arriving by car to visit and experience the area. Visiting the unique glass bridge over pine trees in the Central Highlands, trying out the hundreds-meter-long inflatable slide, and watching a gong and drum cultural performance... these are novel experiences for Russian tourists, who are usually familiar with the sunny, windy coastal regions.

Ms. Daria (a Russian tourist) and her friend took their first trip from Nha Trang to Da Lat by car. After traveling along the winding mountain roads, she and her companion were still full of energy to explore the tourist attractions in the cool climate of Da Lat.

Ms. Daria shared: “The road to Da Lat has very beautiful scenery, a pleasant and wonderful climate. Everything is like a perfect picture, completely different from my experience exploring Nha Trang beach.”

According to Mr. Dinh Tuan Anh, Director of TTC World - Love Valley Tourist Area, in the face of economic and aviation fluctuations, the unit has prioritized solutions to attract domestic and international tourists traveling by car within short distances, such as from Ho Chi Minh City, Nha Trang, Mui Ne to Da Lat. Among these, Russian tourists are one of the potential sources with high stability during the current tourism recovery and growth phase.

“Russian tourists are characterized by long stays, high spending power, and a particular fondness for destinations with cool, fresh climates like Da Lat. To strongly develop the Russian tourist market, a synchronized and consistent strategy is needed to help Da Lat become a new center for welcoming Russian tourists in Vietnam,” Mr. Dinh Tuan Anh shared.

Similarly, at some high-end resorts in Da Lat, the closure of Lien Khuong Airport (Lam Dong) has caused a sharp decline in the number of mid- and high-end tourists. In response to these changes, businesses have proactively implemented solutions such as price reductions, promotions, and additional policies to attract tourists, adapting to the shift in customer segment structure in the new context.

The fresh, cool climate, even in summer, is an advantage that helps Da Lat attract domestic and international tourists.

According to Ms. Tran Thi Dung, CEO of Ana Mandara Da Lat (Cam Ly Ward - Da Lat), facing the risk of a decline in traditional tourist numbers, the company has implemented policies to attract new customers in the current period; focusing on customers traveling by private car to Da Lat by road with supplementary services such as home pick-up and drop-off, and complimentary bus tickets.

Recently, although the number of tourists has decreased compared to the same period in previous years, a positive sign is the certain growth in new tourists. In particular, the segment of customers from Russian-speaking countries increased by about 10%, and the number of Korean and Chinese tourists doubled compared to previous years.

Upgrading tourism products

Faced with the problem of declining air travel and fluctuations in fuel prices indirectly impacting the tourism industry, Da Lat's management agencies and tourism businesses are working together to innovate the domestic tourism service supply chain. Accordingly, a new supply chain between “accommodation-transportation-attractions” has been formed, shifting from a price-based stimulus to a quality-based attraction strategy as an inevitable direction.

Currently, many tourism businesses are no longer overly focused on immediate revenue figures or customer numbers, but are instead undertaking a “revolution” in quality. Businesses are proactively reviewing and investing in product depth, incorporating local heritage elements into designs, and developing wellness and “slow” tourism packages to retain tourists through the genuine value of Da Lat.

Mr. Le Tang Trong Nghia, Director of VietTravel Lam Dong branch, clearly stated that reshaping the tourism product development strategy is crucial in the current context. In particular, businesses targeting high-end individual travelers can focus on MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) groups, as current road routes to Da Lat are quite convenient for conference and seminar groups. Along with competitive pricing and policies regarding food and accompanying services, these will be favorable conditions to attract tourists for tourism businesses in the area.

Similarly, Mr. Dinh Tuan Anh, Director of TTC World - Valley of Love Tourist Area, noted that the tourism trend is clearly shifting towards cost-effectiveness and enhanced experiences. Therefore, his company has developed a "One Destination - Multiple Experiences" model, aiming to become a "miniature Da Lat" encompassing sightseeing, entertainment, relaxation, cuisine, and vibrant photo opportunities. All are integrated into a seamless journey, where each step opens up a different range of emotions.

“This model not only creates experiential value but also brings practical benefits, helping tourists optimize their travel time and costs; while increasing their length of stay and on-site spending. In particular, limiting inter-point travel also contributes to reducing emissions, aligning with the trend of green and sustainable tourism,” Mr. Dinh Tuan Anh emphasized.

Along with tourism businesses in the area, Lam Dong province is also participating in the race to stimulate demand and attract tourists. Recently, the Lam Dong Provincial Center for Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion announced the “Tourism Stimulus Program 2026” with nearly 100 businesses registering to participate.

Many tourism businesses in Da Lat are proactively launching new tourism products and upgrading and improving service quality to attract tourists.

Alongside discount and promotional programs, Lam Dong will strengthen the implementation of destination promotion campaigns in stages, boost communication on digital channels, organize tourism survey programs (famtrips, press trips) for the press, KOLs, and travel businesses from key markets, and organize many attractive cultural and tourism events.

Mr. Nguyen Linh Vu, Deputy Director of the Lam Dong Investment, Trade and Tourism Promotion Center, emphasized that the airport closure is also a suitable time for businesses to invest in, upgrade, and improve the quality of their services. The Center encourages tourism businesses to invest in new products to create new experiences for tourists, especially tours and routes that uniquely combine the sea and the mountains, to introduce and promote to travel agencies and tourists both domestically and internationally.

With the continuous efforts of the tourism industry in recent times, Lam Dong promises to bring tourists more novel experiences, repositioning the image of Lam Dong tourism with a new approach; thereby contributing to the goal of maintaining Lam Dong's position among the top 5 localities attracting the most tourists nationwide with over 25 million visitors and projected tourism revenue of approximately 71,500 billion VND in the volatile year of 2026.

According to Vietnam Plus newspaper.