Lam Dong expands global connections for local products and investment

Local products reach international markets

“I want to prove that Da Lat flowers are beautiful and well received in international markets,” said Nguyen Duc Thien Vu, Director of Quynh Phuong Da Lat Co., Ltd.

Growing up in a flower-growing family, Thien Vu developed a strong connection with Da Lat flowers and a desire to bring the finest products from her hometown to international consumers.

While working with South Korean businesses, she saw strong demand for imported flowers, particularly cut flowers, for which Da Lat is known. Instead of waiting for buyers to purchase flowers at unstable prices, she decided to take a more proactive approach and seek international markets.

After years of market research, trials and experience, her company expanded from South Korea to Taiwan (China), Japan and Russia. It is now promoting exports of cut flowers and foliage to Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, Indonesia and Malaysia.

“The goal is not simply to sell more flowers. It is also to demonstrate that Da Lat flowers are beautiful, high-quality and able to meet the standards required to compete in demanding international markets,” Thien Vu said.

According to Thien Vu, exporting flowers requires a fundamental change in production practices. Export-quality flowers must have an attractive appearance, strong and long stems, and buds and blooms of the required size. Products must also be uniform, free of insects and compliant with the standards of each target market.

Quynh Phuong Da Lat Co., Ltd. currently works with around 200 households in Da Lat and surrounding areas across approximately 50 hectares. The company focuses on trade, promotion and market development, while farmers concentrate on producing flowers that meet export standards.

In Phu Thuy Ward, Tran Ngoc Dung's story begins with another local specialty: nuoc mam tin, a traditional fish sauce product associated with a 300-year-old fishing village.

The naturally fermented fish sauce is extracted from wooden fermentation vats using anchovy and natural salt. When the product reached Costco stores in the United States, Dung saw the shipment as more than a commercial transaction. Each bottle also carried memories of the fishing village, the traditional fish sauce-making craft and values preserved through generations.

In Don Duong, Dalahouse Co., Ltd. has taken a different approach by focusing on deep processing. Using vegetables grown in local fields, the company produces vegetable powders, develops quality standards and exports the products through official channels.

Since 2024, hundreds of thousands of packages of celery powder, pennywort and mung bean powder, and pennywort powder have been shipped to the United States and European markets.

Three stories. Three products. Three different approaches.

Yet every shipment carries a part of the story of the land where the products are made. Together, they reflect a common ambition: bringing Vietnamese agricultural and traditional products to global markets.

International engagement drives development

The experiences of local businesses also reflect broader changes in Lam Dong's international engagement. According to Hoang Van Bang, Director of the Department of Foreign Affairs, the province is gradually deepening international cooperation and linking it more closely with its socio-economic development priorities.

In the first six months of 2026, Lam Dong organized two working delegations to Mondulkiri, Cambodia, and China. The delegations focused on promoting the province's image, investment, trade and tourism, as well as exchanging experience.

Cooperation with partners in Japan, the Netherlands, Cuba and South Korea has continued. The province has also explored potential cooperation with Konya in Turkey and Vitebsk in Belarus.

Lam Dong has also welcomed international partners for working visits and discussions. From January 1 to May 30, 2026, the province authorized local agencies and units to receive and work with 103 international delegations, involving 406 foreign visitors.

The discussions covered scientific research, education, human resource development, agriculture and forestry, cultural exchanges, investment and economic cooperation.

As part of its economic diplomacy efforts, Lam Dong has continued to promote trade, seek new export markets and work with Vietnamese representative offices abroad to help local businesses connect with international partners.

Tourism promotion has also expanded toward potential markets, including India, Malaysia, Indonesia and the Middle East.

Alongside economic cooperation, Lam Dong's cultural and natural assets are being incorporated into international exchanges and promotional activities.

Da Lat's designation as a UNESCO Creative City of Music continues to be promoted. The UNESCO Dak Nong Global Geopark and Lang Biang World Biosphere Reserve are also receiving greater attention in conservation and international promotion.

Infrastructure is another key condition for expanding international connections.

The upgrading of Lien Khuong International Airport is one example. Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee Ho Van Muoi has emphasized that repairing and upgrading the airport is an urgent requirement to create additional development space for the province in a sustainable and efficient manner.

After more than five months of suspension for runway and taxiway repairs, Lien Khuong Airport has resumed operations. Alongside restoring existing air routes, the province is working to open new services to Incheon in South Korea, Singapore and Bangkok in Thailand.

It is also seeking to restore charter flights to Taipei, Taoyuan and Kaohsiung in Taiwan ( China), as well as destinations in China and Japan.