“Tourism in Bai Tu Long Bay needs to create a difference…”

Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay are located next to each other, but the tourism development of these two bays in recent years has been very different. While Ha Long Bay has become a world- famous brand, tourism in Bai Tu Long Bay has just begun to take its first steps. Now, with the opportunity to develop tourism in Bai Tu Long Bay expanding, many businesses are also seizing the opportunity to invest.

The reporter's interview with Mr. Le Viet Duc ( photo ), CEO of Bhaya Ha Long Cruise Company, on the sidelines of the Bai Tu Long Bay Tourism Development Conference held in Van Don at the end of March, gave us another perspective on the opportunities and potential of these two bays in the future.

- We know that many years ago, Bhaya was among the businesses that took tourists from Ha Long Bay to Bai Tu Long Bay. So in your opinion, what is different about Bai Tu Long Bay?

+ I think, to develop tourism in Bai Tu Long Bay better, more attractive to tourists, we can focus on 2 special points here. One is Bai Tu Long National Park with rich and diverse ecosystems that tourists can visit, admire, and learn more about. I think Bai Tu Long National Park has many opportunities to develop, because we have orientation and planning from the beginning. In addition, to say that foreign tourists really like to learn about one is culture, two is nature, and nature in Bai Tu Long National Park meets this very well.

Mangrove forest on Cai Lim Island, Bai Tu Long National Park.

Second is about historical and cultural values, for example, the ancient Van Don trading port... We can create some products about historical and cultural values, such as diving tours, visiting ancient sunken relics, for example, tourists will definitely love it.

In fact, these two bays have many similarities. Tourism in Bai Tu Long comes after Ha Long Bay, I think we need to create a difference to attract more tourists. For example, if visitors fly to Hanoi , Vietnam, the distance from Hanoi to Van Don will be about an hour further than Ha Long. Thus, visitors will hesitate to choose, if Bai Tu Long does not have anything different, they may choose Ha Long Bay. So in the early stages, we can select and build a few but unique points, later when there is a certain number of ships, to reduce the load on the opened routes, we can expand further.

Foreign tourists experience on Bhaya cruise. Photo provided by the unit.

- At this time, Bai Tu Long tourism still seems to have difficulties. In your opinion, what should state management agencies do to attract businesses as well as tourists, creating a stronger breakthrough?

+ Certainly the first steps will be difficult. And because of the difficulties, it is necessary for state management agencies to remove them, for example, the buoys and signs in this area to make it more convenient for tourist boats to ensure the safest for visitors when visiting Bai Tu Long Bay. Second, it is to create conditions to help businesses with paperwork procedures more easily, which are currently still under construction and not yet available.

In fact, businesses are very interested, the government also has certain orientations, but in general, we need to implement all policies more synchronously, that is what businesses want. What is synchronous here, is that when we have a cruise ship moving to this area to exploit tourists, all related documents and procedures are synchronized by the agencies and we can register for exploitation and proceed immediately.

Recently, Quang Ninh has announced and opened tours to Bai Tu Long Bay. This is a timely and correct move. This is very meaningful when, along with Ha Long Bay, we have more neighboring places that can be exploited.

Chuong Nep beach in Minh Chau island commune has a gentle white sandbank and clear blue water.

- The market that Bhaya cruise exploits is certainly more foreign tourists. So how do you evaluate the potential of Bai Tu Long Bay in attracting foreign tourists?

+ We welcome high-end customers, usually European and American. Long-term guests often travel in groups, depending on the size of the group, but the goal is to rent a private boat so that they can go on the program they want and choose. As guests who book a private boat, they like private places, not too crowded with tourists or even no one at all. And I think Bai Tu Long Bay meets that very well.

Ha Long Bay also has many such points, however, in terms of current legal basis, when the Ha Long Bay Management Board issues tour itineraries and specifies destinations, all ships must follow them. With the routes that have been built, currently following the trend of mass tourism, there will always be a few attractive highlights in a route, such as beaches, caves or fishing villages... Invisibly, it will be difficult to meet the requirements of privacy and true desertedness as I just mentioned above.

The ship anchored in an offshore area on Ha Long Bay.

- Ha Long Bay is currently planning to develop a plan to exploit pristine beaches or deserted areas to serve high-end customers. Will this meet the needs that businesses like Bhaya desire?

+ Ha Long Bay is very beautiful, always very attractive and attracts more and more tourists. On the contrary, with the super-rich tourists, they tend to avoid crowded places. Customers now consume smartly, when they have a need, they will find out a lot of information related to that place. Ha Long Bay is a very attractive destination for domestic and foreign tourists but not really attractive to customers who require a high level of privacy.

Foreign tourists visit Ti Top Island in Ha Long Bay.

High-end customers are also divided into many different groups. For example, the super-rich customers often only like really deserted destinations, with only the customers and the destination. Because for billionaires and millionaires, for example, their reputation is already very high, they do not want to be bothered by others, do not want to be recognized, so really deserted routes will be more suitable for this type of customer. Ha Long Bay still has the basis to develop in that direction if it really cares about the needs of this type of customer.

- Thank you for the conversation!

Phan Hang (Implementation)

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