A series of cultural, artistic, sporting and tourism activities opened in Gia Lai province on October 30 as part of the 2026 Gong Festival, Wild Sunflower Week and Chu Dang Ya Volcano programme.
The opening ceremony took place in Ia Gri village, Bien Ho commune. It was organised by the provincial People's Committee and attended by Vice Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Thanh Lich, head of the festival organising committee, and other local officials.
The programme includes gong music and traditional ethnic instrument performances, exchanges among art troupes, artisans and music groups, and a reenactment of the Jrai ethnic group's ceremony to consecrate a newly built communal house. Visitors can also attend an OCOP market featuring local products and traditional cuisine, as well as sports competitions and tourism activities.
Other events include the Gia Lai City Trail, titled Dream of the Great Forest, a sports competition for ethnic minority communities in Bien Ho commune, and an OCOP market featuring local products and traditional food.
A community-based tourism product was introduced in Ia Nueng village. Developed with residents' participation, the initiative combines landscape improvements, preservation of traditional cultural values and tourism services training. It is intended to give visitors opportunities to experience Jrai daily life, cuisine and traditional crafts.
Chairman of the Bien Ho commune People's Committee Trinh Van Sang said the area is home to attractions including Bien Ho Lake, Chu Dang Ya Volcano, green tea hills and century-old pine trees. It also has Jrai cultural heritage, including gong music, xoang dance and traditional festivals.
The gong festival coincides with the wild sunflower season, when yellow flowers cover the hillsides around Chu Dang Ya Volcano.
The festival runs from October 30 to November 8 in Pleiku ward, Bien Ho commune and neighbouring areas.
Gia Lai aims to welcome 15 million visitors and earn 35 trillion VND in tourism revenue, equivalent to 1.36 billion USD, in 2026. The province also plans to develop new tourism products, strengthen links between coastal, highland and border destinations, and promote international charter flights to Phu Cat Airport.
Sources: VietnamPlus / Vietnam News Agency
