Vietnam’s Gia Lai seeks tourism promotion partnership with CNN

Nguyen Thi Thanh Lich, deputy chairwoman of the Gia Lai People's Committee, met representatives of CNN to discuss promoting the province's tourism image globally, the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism said.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of the ASEAN Tourism Forum 2026 in Cebu, the Philippines, alongside representatives from tourism authorities of ASEAN countries and media organizations.

Gia Lai has been designated by Vietnam's Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to host the National Tourism Year in 2026, a role that will include a series of festivals and tourism events scheduled throughout the year.

At the meeting, Gia Lai officials introduced the province's tourism potential, products, and cultural heritage, as well as planned activities for National Tourism Year Gia Lai 2026. 

They also proposed media cooperation with CNN to position the province as an emerging destination on the global tourism map.

Lich said the province had invited a CNN team to conduct a site visit to better understand local tourism offerings, with the aim of developing a targeted communications plan to attract international visitors and increase both length of stay and visitor spending.

CNN's Jocelyn Kang, account director for Southeast Asia, presented the network's multi-platform media packages for promoting destinations worldwide and expressed interest in exploring future cooperation with Gia Lai.

Gia Lai, expanded in July 2025 from the merger of the former Gia Lai and Binh Dinh Provinces, includes both Central Highlands and coastal areas.

It is known for volcanic landscapes, forests, ethnic minority cultures, and coastal areas, but draws fewer foreign visitors than many of Vietnam's established coastal destinations.