More than simply showcasing local cuisine, residents and community-based tourism operators across Dak Lak are leveraging digital platforms to share stories about regional culture, people combined with identity, bringing distinctive flavours of the Central Highlands closer to domestic and international visitors.

Each morning, the kitchen of Mr. Y Phon Bya, owner of Ama Vina restaurant in Ako Dhong village, Buon Ma Thuot ward, becomes busier than usual. Every stage of food preparation is filmed as well as shared on Facebook and TikTok, accompanied by the sounds of gong performances, images of traditional longhouses alongside scenes of Ede families gathering around communal meals. According to Mr. Y Phon, customer numbers have increased significantly since he began regularly posting videos and photos showcasing indigenous cuisine alongside village life, particularly among younger visitors.

Videos and images showcasing Ede cuisine attracting thousands of likes as well as shares (Screenshot).

In Tong Ju village, Ea Kao ward, numerous community-based tourism operators are also actively promoting their destinations through Facebook, TikTok along with Google Maps, regularly updating information on traditional dishes, cultural performances as well as visitor experiences.

Ms. H'Yam Bkrong, owner of a homestay in Tong Ju village, said local authorities have provided strong support for digital promotion. Most recently, the Ea Kao ward People's Committee organised a livestream introducing traditional dishes and local specialties within the community gathering space, helping to promote Central Highlands culinary heritage. The active involvement of local authorities has enabled community-based tourism operators to reach more visitors while showcasing the area's distinctive cultural identity.

Spreading cultural identity through digital technology

Promoting cuisine in the digital space has also become an effective way of telling cultural stories.

Ms. H'Zu Ni Niê, Secretary of the Party Cell in Ako Dhông village, said she regularly uses her mobile phone to record videos demonstrating traditional cooking techniques alongside coffee roasting and grinding before sharing them on social media. She believes the greatest outcome is that an increasing number of people, especially younger generations, are discovering Ede culture through short, engaging digital content.

Visitors exploring Ede culinary culture in Tong Ju village.

Beyond social media, many tourism operators have adopted digital technologies by introducing QR code-based electronic menus that integrate images coupled with videos of dishes in both Vietnamese and English. They also regularly update information on Google Maps, fan pages together with online travel platforms, enabling visitors to explore local cuisine, destincationi and cultural experiences before making travel plans.

DX has also enabled traditional dishes to gain greater visibility on search engines, travel applications combined with social media platforms, promoting the locality at relatively low cost while delivering significant promotional impact.

According to Mr. Nguyen Le Vu, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, most travellers now research destinations through social media before planning their journeys. Applying DX to cultural promotion, particularly in gastronomy, therefore gives community-based tourism destinations a competitive advantage while reinforcing Dak Lak's reputation as a province rich in cultural identity.

For the Ede community, digital promotion serves not only an effective tool for attracting visitors but also an important means of preserving traditional knowledge, creating a valuable archive that enables younger generations to learn about and safeguard their cultural heritage.

Translated by KHUONG THAO