Work will kick off next year on an ambitious new software park in the resort city of Da Lat, which has attracted an estimated investment capital of 799 billion VND (38.4 million USD).

A detailed construction plan was released to the public on December 7 revealing that the park will cover an area of 63 hectares and be built in seven years. It will include areas for IT production and training, exhibition rooms, conference halls and a centre for trade, services, entertainment and sports.

The park is expected to help the central highland province become more competitive in attracting investment, developing technology and boosting the economy.

As many as 50 ha of the land - equal to 80 percent of the whole project area - will be used to grow trees around the park.

The provincial authorities said that they would co-operate with HCM City to carry out the project. A branch of Quang Trung software park, owned by HCM City, will be built in the Da Lat software park. VNA