Creating tourism ecosystem from advantages of airport urban area

“Focusing on developing urban areas, tourism, and service zones adjacent to Long Thanh Airport” is identified as one of the key breakthrough tasks for the tourism sector. This direction is highlighted in Resolution No. 05/NQ-HDND issued by the Provincial People’s Council, approving adjustments to Dong Nai Province’s master plan for the 2021–2030 period, with a vision toward 2050.

Ba Giot Waterfall (Phu Vinh commune) is one of Dong Nai's new destinations. Photo: Ngoc Lien

This direction is also one of the contents widely discussed by experts and tourism businesses at the scientific conference on “Orientations for developing Dong Nai tourism in the new context,” organized by the Provincial People’s Committee in mid-March. The conference aimed to gather insights and establish both theoretical and practical foundations for drafting a new resolution on tourism development, replacing Resolution No. 04-NQ/TU, dated December 30, 2021, of the Executive Committee of the 11th Provincial Party Committee, 2020-2025 term.

Dong Nai tourism in the new context

To gather opinions and proposals that are close to the actual situation of Dong Nai's tourism industry, at the Tourism development workshop, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Vu Xuan Truong provided an overview of the province’s tourism sector. He emphasized that Dong Nai possesses a unique “green heritage” in the Southeast region, with nearly 300,000 hectares of natural forest and a diverse system of rivers, lakes, and waterfalls. In addition, with more than 325 years of history and development, Dong Nai has rich cultural and historical values, as well as traditional craft villages. These are valuable resources for building the province’s brand as a destination for eco-tourism, resort tourism, and entertainment, while shaping its distinct cultural identity.

Tourists visit Ta Thiet Base, Loc Thanh commune, Dong Nai province. Photo: Ngoc Lien

However, Vu Xuan Truong also acknowledged that despite its abundant natural and cultural resources, tourism in Dong Nai has not yet developed in proportion to its potential. The main reasons include the lack of distinctive highlights, an underdeveloped tourism brand, limited diversity and connectivity in tourism products and services, uneven awareness of tourism’s economic role across sectors and localities, and insufficiently creative and effective promotional activities. Therefore, the diverse perspectives and recommendations from scientists and interdisciplinary experts at the conference are expected to serve as a foundation for transforming tourism into a key economic sector in Dong Nai Province’s new development phase.

On February 27, 2026, the Provincial People’s Council issued Resolution No. 05/NQ-HDND approving adjustments to Dong Nai Provincial Planning for the 2021-2030 period, with a vision towards 2050. Among the four strategic breakthroughs, Dong Nai aims to develop high-end urban, tourism, and resort service projects along rivers, mountains, and lakes.

Priority will be given to building urban–tourism–service complexes near Long Thanh Airport, as well as key areas such as Chua Chan Mountain, Nui Le Lake, Suoi Giai Lake, Ba Ra – Thac Mo, and the urban chain along the Dong Nai River, including Bien Hoa, Long Thanh, and Nhon Trach.

Expert’s recommendations

With dozens of presentations and contributions from tourism experts, leaders of departments, agencies, and localities, the conference painted a multi-dimensional picture of Dog Nai’s tourism future.

Typical examples include some presentations on: Building the Long Thanh Airport tourism city associated with infrastructure planning and creating a world-class entertainment service ecosystem; From connection bottlenecks to multi-experience connected cities: Repositioning Dong Nai's brand in the Southern dynamic region; High-quality, international-standard tourism, associated with the airport city model: Long Thanh International Airport plays a pivotal role, among others.

According to statistics from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, during the 2021-2025 period, Dong Nai attracted more than VND 4 trillion in investment to develop quality accommodation services and tourism sites, helping diversify the province's destination products. Agricultural and rural tourism products in localities such as Tri An, Xuan Bac, Binh Loc, Hang Gon, and Dinh Quan have taken shape, broadening the range of services and gradually meeting demand from the tourism market.

Regarding the potential and advantages of Long Thanh Airport, according to MSc. Do Le Phuc Tam from the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City, Dong Nai is emerging as a major growth driver of the Southern Key Economic Region, serving as a vital gateway connecting Southeast Vietnam with the Central Highlands and other regions. Following restructuring policies and administrative mergers, Dong Nai is focusing on developing multimodal infrastructure, including expressways, railways, inland waterways, and seaports. Long Thanh Airport plays a pivotal role as the hub connecting economic "superclusters" such as Cai Mep - Thi Vai seaport, Thu Thiem Financial Center, and industrial parks in neighboring provinces and cities, creating highly favorable conditions for tourism development.

Dr. Le Thi Hanh An from the University of Economics Ho Chi Minh City believes that Dong Nai has a strategic gateway for aviation, logistics, and trade in the Southern region. Not only connecting points within the province, but Dong Nai also serves as an intermediary between the Southeast, Central Highlands, Central Coast, and Cambodia. Therefore, the province's identity must reflect its ability to connect economic regions, not just transportation routes.

According to Dr. Le Thi Hanh An, Dong Nai can capitalize on both its advantage as a stopover and transit point and on its potential as a multi-experience tourist destination. Dong Nai has forests, lakes, agriculture, culture, spirituality, history, industry, logistics, and aviation. Therefore, it should be positioned not as a locality with only one type of tourism, but as one capable of building a layered tourism identity to become a multi-experience gateway urban area connecting the Southern dynamic economic region.

By Ngoc Lien – Translated by Mai Nga, Minho