Get ready for the cruise season!

With its advantages of synchronized infrastructure, a specialized cruise port, and its location on a popular cruise route, Quang Ninh has continuously welcomed high-end international cruise ships carrying thousands of tourists since the beginning of 2024. To prepare for the 2024-2025 cruise tourism season, and to promote the growth of cruise tourism in particular and international tourism in general, the tourism industry is striving to enhance the value of the destination, proactively connect with cruise lines, and improve service quality…

Ha Long International Cruise Port boasts modern and integrated infrastructure, making it a favorite destination for international cruise lines.

The cruise season typically runs from October to April of the following year. According to data from the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, in the first seven months of the year, Vietnam welcomed 8.4 million visitors by air and 163,000 by sea. The number of cruise ship visitors increased threefold compared to the same period in 2023 and nearly 10% more than in 2019 – the golden year of Vietnamese tourism. In Quang Ninh , from the beginning of 2024 to date, the province has welcomed approximately 50 international cruise ships carrying 40,000 tourists from markets such as the US, Europe, and China. It is projected that in 2024, Ha Long Bay will be the destination for 60-70 cruise ships, bringing approximately 70,000 tourists, double the number in 2023. Cruise tourists visiting Quang Ninh are trending towards younger age groups, with larger ships and longer stays in Ha Long Bay. In the following years, the number of tourists is expected to increase by approximately 15-20% with the regular arrival of major cruise lines such as Royal Caribbean, Holland America, Tui Cruises, Resorts World Cruises, Viking Ocean Cruises, etc.

It is known that,   The relaxed visa policy and the issuance of e-visas to citizens of all countries and territories, along with the expedited administrative procedures from customs, border guards, and port authorities, are among the important reasons for the high increase in tourist numbers. In addition, the improvement of the seaport system and transportation infrastructure has also contributed significantly to the growth and development of tourism along the coastal routes of Quang Ninh in particular and Vietnam in general .

Cruise ship tourists are excited to visit Ha Long.

In particular, last August, following a meeting between leaders of Quang Ninh province (Vietnam) and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (China), a cooperation agreement on tourism development was signed between businesses of Quang Ninh province and Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region. According to the agreement, the parties agreed to accelerate the development of cruise tourism between Guangxi, China and Vietnam, expand the content and scope of "tourism+" services, and strengthen cooperation with travel agencies, hotels, and scenic spots to complete the tourism chain.

According to Mr. Pham Van Hiep, Director of Ha Long International Cruise Port, the signing of the agreement will help both sides strengthen information sharing, visits, and organize exchange and training activities on port management and cruise services at Ha Long International Cruise Port (Vietnam) and Beibu Gulf International Cruise Port (China), aiming to improve the skills and quality of staff, enhance mutual understanding, and promote cultural exchange. In addition, it will promote exchanges and cooperation between the port management departments of Guangxi, China, and Vietnam to facilitate customs procedures and improve customer satisfaction.

According to travel agencies, cruise ship tourists have several advantages: they are numerous, spend generously, enjoy shopping, sightseeing, and experiencing local culture and cuisine . However, cruise tourists also have the disadvantage of rarely staying overnight at their destination, often arriving and departing within the day. Most of their recreational activities take place on board the ship. Therefore, localities are striving to develop attractive destinations and increase tourists' spending power to create appeal and retain visitors.

Before the Covid-19 pandemic, Quang Ninh province welcomed approximately 100 luxury cruise ships annually, bringing in around 150,000-180,000 international tourists. Therefore, to regain this number and aim to become an international cruise tourism hub, representatives from Ha Long International Cruise Port will continue to promote working programs with several major international cruise lines to discuss cooperation opportunities, infrastructure investment, cruise tourism development, and mechanisms and procedures to attract tourists to Quang Ninh. In addition, the tourism sector will continue to research tourist preferences to create unique tourism products and product chains tailored to specific tourist markets. Emphasis is placed on implementing promotional activities through surveys and participation in major cruise tourism fairs… At the same time, there are promotional programs through various media channels to help tourists access information about Quang Ninh's tourism products and destinations.

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/don-dau-mua-du-lich-tau-bien-3317309.html