Lam Dong Province Kicks Off Sports Festival 2026, Boosting Sports Tourism

The 'Sports Festival 2026' officially commenced with an opening ceremony on the evening of August 1st in Lam Dong Province, located in Vietnam's Central Highlands. Co-organized by the Vietnam People's Public Security Sports Association, the Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee, and NovaGroup, the festival was held at Bikini Beach Square in NovaWorld Phan Thiet, Tien Thanh Ward. The festival has gathered approximately 17,000 athletes, coaches, referees, delegates, and guests from both domestic and international backgrounds, who will compete across 12 sports disciplines. This large-scale event aims to promote mass sports movements, enhance international cooperation in sports, and contribute to the development of sports tourism and the service economy in Lam Dong Province. A notable aspect of this year's festival is the presence of delegations from the People's Public Security, various police forces, ambassadors, representatives from diplomatic agencies, international organizations, and athletes from 13 countries and territories worldwide. The opening ceremony featured an artistic program with performances by renowned artists including Mỹ Linh, Hoàng Bách, Phạm Anh Khoa, the band Bức Tường, and dance sport couple Phan Hiển and Thu Hương. The performances were staged around themes honoring the spirit of sportsmanship, patriotism, and the aspiration to contribute, enhanced by modern stage technology, sound, and lighting. The highlight of the festival was the torch-lighting ceremony for the Sports Festival 2026, symbolizing the spirit of solidarity, the will to conquer, and the athletes' aspirations for progress. Concluding the ceremony was an artistic fireworks display, marking the official commencement of the Sports Festival 2026's peak competition phase and bringing a vibrant festive atmosphere to thousands of spectators and tourists. During the competition period, the Lam Dong Provincial People's Committee pledged to provide the best conditions for the successful conclusion of the event. The province looks forward to hosting more large-scale, multi-disciplinary, and diverse sports and tourism events, leveraging its potential and advantages. This is aimed at establishing sports tourism as a sustainable and long-term development direction, gradually affirming the province's position on the national and regional sports tourism map. The province views the organization of national and international scale sports events like the 'Sports Festival' as a strategic direction to promote its image, attract investment, and elevate tourism into a key economic sector for the locality.