Beyond serving as a major cultural, trade and external relations event that highlights the significance of a key agricultural product, the 2026 Dak Lak Durian Festival is becoming a catalyst for destination promotion, product connectivity and the creation of new tourism experiences.
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| Visitors experiencing a durian orchard in Krong Pac Commune. |
These days, the festival atmosphere is spreading across the province, with cultural, artistic, sporting, trade and tourism activities linking urban centres with durian-growing regions, from west to east, creating a diverse picture of land and people of Dak Lak.
What sets this year's festival apart is not only its scale but also the way it brings local values into the visitor experience. Visiting durian orchards during the harvest season, taking part in the harvest, sampling the fruit on site and learning about cultivation practices offer visitors a more authentic experience.
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“A festival can attract visitors for a few days, but a well-developed experiential tourism product can encourage them to stay longer and give them a reason to return. The Dak Lak Durian Festival is an opportunity to drive stronger links between agriculture, culture and tourism”, said Mr. Tran Hong Tien, Director of the Dak Lak Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism. |
Each durian carries a story about the land, climate, farming practices and farmers. When these stories are presented in an engaging way, the orchard itself can become a destination for visitors exploring Dak Lak. The growing number of visitor groups and enterprises seeking out durian orchards in Krong Pac Commune shows that tourism linked to the agricultural harvest season is gradually taking shape and has the potential to become a distinctive tourism product for Dak Lak.
Extending journeys, increasing value
A festival can create lasting value only when its impact extends beyond the event itself. This is particularly significant for the 2026 Dak Lak Durian Festival, which not only promotes the “Dak Lak Durian” brand and showcases the locality's potential and strengths, but also connects production, processing and consumption.
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| Local residents and visitors attending a programme as part of the 2026 Dak Lak Durian Festival. |
A journey can begin at the festival venue in Buon Ma Thuot, continue with a trip to the specialised durian-growing area in Krong Pac, then extend from orchards to villages, where visitors can enjoy local cuisine before exploring waterfalls, lakes, forests and cultural attractions.
If visitors buy durian at the orchard, stay overnight, enjoy local specialities, purchase OCOP products and continue exploring other destinations, the value generated by the festival extends beyond the agricultural sector. A tourism value chain can then take shape, with farmers, enterprises, communities and tourism destinations all contributing to and benefiting from the value chain. This is also in line with the growing demand for authentic experiences and closer engagement with local life.
From this perspective, the durian festival can become a “gateway” to a wider journey through Dak Lak, where visitors come for durian but stay longer or return because of the appeal of coffee, culture, nature, local people and the distinctive stories of the land.
Translated by KHUONG THAO
