Hai Phong discusses ways to awaken 'city of rivers and bridges like Venice'

Despite possessing a dense river network and being known as the largest port city in the country, Hai Phong has yet to promote its strengths in river tourism.

The great potential remains "on paper".

With over 50 rivers of varying sizes, including famous ones like Bach Dang, Cam, Lach Tray, Van Uc, and Thai Binh , Hai Phong boasts a rich river system flowing through residential areas and connecting cultural and historical sites closely linked to the city's development. This is considered a unique natural advantage for developing inland waterway tourism.

Hai Phong has a rich river system, with great potential for tourism development.

PHOTO: NH

However, Ms. Tran Thi Mai, Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Hai Phong , stated that currently the locality does not have any well-organized river tourism tours, but mainly relies on passenger transport or spontaneous, small-scale services.

According to Ms. Mai, the main reason is the poor waterway infrastructure. Existing ports mainly serve cargo transport, lacking international marinas or specialized cruise ports. Many river sections are silted up and not regularly dredged; riverside landscapes are neglected, with a lot of waste, a lack of artistic lighting systems, and spaces for experiencing the culture, history, and beliefs along the river are almost forgotten.

An event was once held on the Cam River.

PHOTO: NH

Furthermore, Hai Phong has not yet developed a comprehensive plan and strategy for river tourism development, leading to fragmented operations and a lack of appeal to tourists. "We have resources but lack tourism products and systematic investment, so river tourism remains only a potential," Ms. Mai said.

Experts offer suggestions to revitalize river tourism in Hai Phong.

At the Hai Phong Waterway Tourism Development Workshop held on April 22nd, many experts and investors expressed regret that Hai Phong has not fully exploited the potential and strengths of its rivers, especially in the context of the city's orientation towards developing tourism as a key economic sector. They also offered suggestions to "awaken" the potential of Hai Phong's waterways.

Mr. Duong Duc Hung, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Hai Phong, expressed his concern: "Hai Phong can be considered a city of rivers and bridges like Venice, but why hasn't river tourism awakened yet? Each river has a fascinating historical and cultural story. It would be a great pity if we didn't turn those stories into tourism products."

Hai Phong is a city situated along a river, but it has not yet fully exploited its potential for river tourism.

PHOTO: NGUYEN HONG PHONG

Experts suggest that, to effectively exploit river tourism, the city needs to improve waterway infrastructure, invest in building wharves, tourist ports, and waterways to ensure safety and aesthetics; develop unique tourism products, such as historical tours on the Bach Dang River, night cruises on the Cam River, and experiences in traditional craft villages along the Van Uc River; coordinate regional linkages, connecting river routes from Hai Phong to Quang Ninh, Hai Duong, and Thai Binh; and encourage businesses to invest in developing high-end cruise ships, organizing events, and providing accommodation on the river, similar to the model of cruise ships in Ha Long Bay.

In addition, Hai Phong needs to improve the quality of its landscape, address pollution, and develop an ecosystem and cultural and recreational facilities along the river.

Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Tu, Investment Director of Sao Do Group, emphasized that Hai Phong needs to boldly attract investment to develop luxury cruise ships capable of hosting large events, offering novel experiences for tourists.

The People's Committee of Hai Phong City announced that the city is urgently developing a plan and legal framework, particularly focusing on gradually upgrading several passenger waterway transport terminals within the city to serve the development of river tourism.

However, for this potential to be truly unlocked, Hai Phong needs a well-structured strategy and the coordinated efforts of both the government and businesses. Only then will these rivers, steeped in history, become new routes that bring sustainable economic and cultural value to the port city.

Source: https://thanhnien.vn/hai-phong-ban-cach-danh-thuc-thanh-pho-cua-nhung-dong-song-va-cay-cau-nhu-venice-18525042214562134.htm