Hanoi (VNA) – Gia Lai province is building its coffee brand through distinctive cultural experiences, combining tourism, art and product origin stories to attract visitors and win over demanding markets.
Gia Lai has long been known as “coffee capital” of the Central Highlands, where fertile basaltic red soil nurtures rich coffee beans with a distinctive flavour. But amid intensifying competition in the global coffee market, the province is moving beyond product quality alone to build a more comprehensive identity for its coffee industry — one rooted in origin, culture and visitor experience.
The strategy is being rolled out through a series of activities under the National Tourism Year – Gia Lai 2026.
One of the key initiatives is the pilot “Gia Lai weekend offee and culture space,” running from March to August 2026 at Dai Doan Ket square in Pleiku city.
Held every weekend, the programme transforms coffee from a simple agricultural product into an immersive cultural experience. Instead of mass-market commercial stalls, organisers are prioritising carefully selected local products, including coffee, tea, OCOP products, agricultural specialties, and traditional handicrafts, helping preserve the event’s cultural identity.
To encourage participation, local authorities are waiving venue fees during the pilot period, enabling businesses and households to invest more in product quality and presentation.
Cuisine is also being positioned as an important part of the experience. Rather than focusing on popular fast food, organisers are highlighting regional specialties closely linked to Gia Lai’s local ingredients and culinary traditions, creating a more distinctive attraction for visitors.
When a dish carries stories about its place of origin or traditional preparation methods, its value goes beyond simply satisfying hunger and becomes part of a cultural experience.
Traditional cultural performances, particularly the Central Highlands gong culture, are expected to become regular features of the weekend programme. The combination of coffee tasting and gong performances is designed to give visitors a deeper emotional connection with the region’s heritage.
Positioning the Gia Lai coffee brand in the market
If the “Gia Lai Weekend Coffee and Culture Space” serves as an introduction, the Gia Lai Coffee Show, scheduled for November 2026, is expected to be a strategic highlight.
The multi-day event will feature hundreds of booths showcasing the entire coffee value chain, from green beans and roasted coffee to modern brewing equipment. More importantly, the event aims to strengthen Gia Lai coffee’s position in both domestic and international markets.
The province is also promoting famous coffee-growing areas such as Chu Se, Chu Puh, Mang Yang, Ia Grai, Chu Pah, Duc Co, Chu Prong, Dak Doa, and Bien Ho as tourism destinations, reflecting a growing integration between agriculture and tourism development.
Alongside exhibitions, specialised seminars and business networking activities will connect farmers, enterprises, scientists and international partners, creating opportunities for cooperation, technology exchange and market expansion.
A notable highlight is the planned “Coffee Tour” programme, which allows visitors to participate directly in the coffee-making process — from harvesting ripe cherries and processing beans to roasting and brewing coffee. Such tours are expected to offer tourists a better understanding of the labour, traditions, and environmental conditions behind every cup of coffee, while also creating new income opportunities for local communities.
By combining agricultural experiences with indigenous culture, Gia Lai aims to develop coffee tourism into a unique and difficult-to-replicate tourism product.
The province’s initiatives form part of a broader strategy to increase the value of Gia Lai coffee not only through product quality, but also through cultural identity, traceable origins, and visitors’ authentic experiences.
As consumers worldwide become increasingly interested in sustainability, transparency, and cultural stories behind products, Gia Lai’s approach is expected to strengthen the competitiveness of its coffee in demanding international markets./.
