One Vietnamese province just set itself a very big number. Lâm Đồng — the newly enlarged highlands-and-coast province that now takes in Đà Lạt, Mũi Né and Tà Đùng after merging with Đắc Nông and Bình Thuận — wants 40 million visitors a year by 2030, with tourism generating around 12 per cent of the provincial economy.
The plan, approved by the provincial Party Committee under Việt Nam's wider push (Politburo Resolution 26, issued August 2026) to make tourism a spearhead economic sector, targets annual arrival growth of 13–14 per cent. That breaks down to roughly 36.6 million domestic and at least 3.4 million international visitors, supported by about 75,000 hotel rooms — a quarter of them three- to five-star — and eight to ten provincial-level tourism areas creating some 47,000 direct jobs.
There is a green thread running through it too. At least 80 per cent of key attractions are expected to meet green tourism standards by 2030, with net-zero pilot schemes trialled in Mũi Né, Đà Lạt and Tà Đùng. By 2045 the province wants to rank among Southeast Asia's high-quality tourism hubs, with international arrivals of about 5.3 million and growth above the national average.
Getting around is a big part of the pitch. Authorities will push easier visa and immigration procedures, route more international arrivals through Liên Khương International Airport, and bring Phan Thiết Airport's civil aviation facilities online in 2028. Upgrades are planned for National Highways 28, 27 and 55 and the coastal roads, alongside work on the North-South high-speed railway corridor, new roadside rest stops, and port and inland waterway development — plus longer-term talk of a special economic zone. Officials have also been told to unblock stalled tourism projects to attract fresh investment.
The momentum is already visible. In the first eight months of 2026 the province welcomed more than 16.5 million visitors, up nearly 20 per cent year on year, with tourism revenue topping VNĐ45.6 trillion (about US$1.8 billion), a rise of more than 22 per cent. Credit goes to coordinated marketing, digital promotion, international cooperation and big cultural events tied to tourism campaigns.
For travellers, the story is simple: the province that gives you Đà Lạt's pine hills and coffee culture, Mũi Né's beach resorts and sand dunes, and Tà Đùng's highland lake is about to get much better connected — and busier. Going before the 2028 airport opening and the big infrastructure wave means experiencing the region at its current, still-uncrowded pace. If you prefer your Vietnamese highlands quiet and your coastal towns low-key, the next year or two is a smart window. Watch for new flight options into Liên Khương and Phan Thiết as the plan takes shape — they will reshape how easily you can combine mountains and coast in a single Vietnam trip.
