Unlocking the potential of eco-tourism and resort tourism

Dong Nai is positioning itself as a strategic hub for the economy, tourism, culture and services. Alongside major infrastructure projects, the city is gaining new opportunities to leverage its advantages and foster more comprehensive development, gradually emerging as a new growth pole of national, regional and international significance.

To make Dong Nai a new growth driver for the country and the region, Politburo Resolution No. 16-NQ/TW, dated July 21, 2026, on the construction and development of Dong Nai City through 2035, with a vision to 2065, calls for a new development mindset and long-term strategic planning. The resolution envisions an open development space, a multidirectional transport network and a modern, multi-layered and polycentric urban structure, with rivers and natural ecosystems serving as key landscape axes.

Opportunities to develop world-class tourism products

Assessing the prospects for tourism development in Dong Nai, Resolution No. 10-NQ/TU of the Dong Nai City Party Committee on developing tourism into a strong economic sector (Resolution No. 10) notes that the city has significant potential and room for growth in eco-tourism, resort tourism, cultural and spiritual tourism, community-based tourism and other forms of tourism.

Tourists join a forest patrol with rangers at Cat Tien National Park. The tourism product has advanced to the final round of the Best Wider World Tourism Project category at the BGTW International Tourism Awards 2026. Photo: Oxalis

The operation of Long Thanh International Airport, together with the development of interregional transport links, will provide an important foundation for Dong Nai’s socio-economic development, particularly its tourism sector. Resolution No. 10 also highlights considerable room for growth in eco-tourism, agricultural tourism, indigenous cultural tourism, wellness tourism and short-haul tourism, which are gaining popularity in both domestic and international markets.

This presents an opportunity for Dong Nai to enhance the value of its forest resources, strengthen its role as a green lung and develop into a leading eco-resort destination while adapting to global emissions-reduction standards.

Tran Van Binh, Deputy Director of Cat Tien National Park, said sustainable eco-tourism is one of the park’s key development priorities, helping strike a balance between economic development and nature conservation. With its outstanding landscapes, biodiversity and diverse ecosystems, Cat Tien National Park has considerable potential to become a leading eco-tourism destination in Viet Nam and the region.

Over the years, Cat Tien National Park has developed a range of eco-tourism activities, including tropical forest exploration, trekking and outdoor experiences, scientific tourism, research and fieldwork, environmental education, cultural and historical tours, community-based experiences and tourism for seminars, conferences and events.

Notably, a tourism product that allows visitors to accompany Cat Tien National Park rangers on forest patrols has advanced to the final round of the Best Wider World Tourism Project category at the BGTW International Tourism Awards 2026, organized by the British Guild of Travel Writers (BGTW).

In addition to Cat Tien National Park, Dong Nai is home to numerous destinations that attract domestic and international visitors, including the Dong Nai Nature-Culture Reserve and Bu Gia Map National Park. The city also offers established tourism destinations such as Son Tien Eco-tourism City and Suoi Mo Park, as well as cultural and historical sites, community-based tourism destinations and garden-based eco-tourism sites. These resources provide a strong foundation for Dong Nai to develop its tourism sector in a coordinated manner, strengthen connectivity and fully capitalize on its tourism potential.

Greater connectivity for sustainable development

Dong Nai is well-positioned to attract both domestic and international visitors. The city’s tourism sector is embracing a new approach to development, focusing on attracting visitors while creating favorable conditions for people from Viet Nam and abroad to experience its landscapes, culture and cuisine. At the same time, the city is encouraging greater participation by businesses and local communities, strengthening links between tourism and other sectors, and promoting regional connectivity.

Tourists join a forest patrol with rangers at Cat Tien National Park. The tourism product has advanced to the final round of the Best Wider World Tourism Project category at the BGTW International Tourism Awards 2026. Photo: Oxalis

Resolution No. 10 identifies eco-tourism and resort tourism associated with forest ecosystems, cultural tourism, agricultural and rural tourism, and community-based tourism as Dong Nai’s key tourism products.

Assessing Dong Nai’s tourism potential, Nguyen Chau A, General Director of Oxalis Co., Ltd. in Quang Tri Province, said the city has abundant and diverse tourism resources, ranging from national parks, nature reserves and historical sites to urban infrastructure that supports tourism development.

In recent years, Oxalis has worked with Cat Tien National Park to develop several forest exploration and community-based cultural tourism products in Nam Cat Tien and Ta Lai communes. To date, these new tourism products have been well received by both domestic and international visitors. Among them, one tourism product has advanced to the final round of the Best Wider World Tourism Project category at the BGTW International Tourism Awards 2026.

Building on its experience at Cat Tien National Park, Oxalis has also signed a memorandum of understanding with the Dong Nai Nature-Culture Reserve to bring in experts to conduct research and develop tourism products.

According to Nguyen Chau A, tourism products that allow visitors to accompany rangers on forest patrols and learn about biodiversity have received positive feedback. Oxalis is also exploring opportunities to develop this type of tourism, which could attract media attention, spur the development of other tourism products and help turn the nature reserve into an attractive destination.

Resolution No. 10 of the city Party Committee sets a target of welcoming 11.5 million domestic and international tourist arrivals to Dong Nai by 2030, generating nearly VND12 trillion in revenue, with average annual revenue growth of 27.5%.

Le Thi Ngoc Loan, Member of the City Party Committee and Director of the Dong Nai City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the department is focusing on measures to advance tourism development in line with Politburo Resolution No. 26-NQ/TW on developing Viet Nam’s tourism into a spearhead economic sector in the new era, as well as Resolution No. 10 of the City Party Committee.

Accordingly, the tourism sector is working to make Dong Nai a high-quality, attractive and sustainable destination by effectively leveraging its cultural and natural resources. It is also focusing on developing high-end tourism products and professional services, strengthening human resources, and promoting innovation and digital transformation.

Dong Nai aims to become a key tourism destination in the southeastern region and Southern Viet Nam by 2030.

By N. Lien – Translated by M.Nguyet, Minho