Concerns arise as Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island remain largely isolated territories.

Businesses and tourism experts are concerned about the fact that there will be no common management board for the Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba World Natural Heritage site.

Following the recognition of Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh) and Cat Ba Archipelago (Hai Phong) as UNESCO World Heritage Sites on September 16th, many tourism professionals have raised the issue of the need for a joint management board. However, according to the Department of Heritage (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism), this will not happen. Hai Phong officials have previously confirmed this.

Responding to VnExpress , many tourism experts and travel businesses expressed concern about this information. Mr. Bui Thanh Tu, Marketing Director of Best Price, said that from the perspective of businesses and tourists, the general management board will eliminate the "blocking of trade" that has existed for many years between Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay (part of the Cat Ba archipelago). New tour routes will be introduced once the bay is "opened," offering more attractive experiences for tourists.

Furthermore, if the route is opened, ships with Hai Phong registration numbers could enter deep into Tuan Chau port or other ports in Quang Ninh to pick up passengers. Currently, ship owners have to use tenders (a type of small boat) to transport passengers from Tuan Chau wharf to the waters bordering Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay to transfer them to larger ships.

Fishing boats are moored close together in Ha Long Bay. Photo: Khai Phong

Mr. Thanh, a boat owner operating in both Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay, is concerned about the "more people, more regulations" situation if there isn't a unified management board.

At a press conference on October 5th, Mr. Trinh Van Tu, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Hai Phong City, announced that the entrance fee to Lan Ha Bay will be raised to match that of Ha Long Bay. Currently, the entrance fee to Lan Ha Bay is 80,000 VND, while in Ha Long Bay it ranges from 200,000 to 250,000 VND (depending on the route). The overnight stay fee in Lan Ha Bay ranges from 250,000 to 500,000 VND, and in Ha Long Bay from 550,000 to 750,000 VND per person.

"The increase in entrance fees to Lan Ha Bay by Hai Phong City will harm businesses," Mr. Thanh said, expressing his hope that a joint management board would propose a more "reasonable" fee for the entire route.

According to the ship owner, many customers booked sightseeing tours and overnight stays a year in advance. If Hai Phong suddenly increases the tour fee, the business will have to cover the losses. On the other hand, investment in infrastructure in Lan Ha Bay "is not commensurate" with the fee increase, most clearly demonstrated by the fact that cruise ships operating in the bay do not have their own docking facilities and often have to anchor in the border area between Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay to wait for passengers from tenders.

Therefore, Mr. Thanh said that "a central management board is really needed" to control the issue of entrance fees and tour costs in the future.

Meanwhile, Mr. Pham Ha, Chairman of Lux Group, a company specializing in 5-star yacht services, said that the bay is currently managed by many different departments and agencies, and it is necessary to consolidate them under one authority to avoid overlapping responsibilities.

Cruise ship on Lan Ha Bay (Hai Phong). Photo: Heritage Cruises

Mr. Phan Dinh Hue, an expert on destination development and tourism in the Mekong Delta, commented that the story of Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Archipelago resembles what is happening in the Mekong Delta. Many tourists visiting the Mekong Delta say, "I visit one province, but I know the whole region," because the tourism products of the localities are similar, failing to attract visitors to stay longer and explore.

"The resources may be the same, but product development must be different. You can't just see people visiting orchards, taking boat trips on the river, and singing traditional folk songs everywhere," Mr. Hue said.

According to this expert, tourists view the Cat Ba archipelago and Ha Long Bay as a large tourist area with shared marine and island resources. The division of administrative boundaries is a matter for management, not something tourists are concerned about. What tourists need is to "travel as much as possible and see as much as possible."

Mr. Hue said Vietnam needs to develop tourism based on the unique resource characteristics of each region. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT), the body behind the success of Thailand's tourism industry since its establishment in 1979, is responsible for researching and monitoring the tourism behavior of international visitors to help Thailand develop specific promotional programs for each market. TAT also has 45 offices throughout Thailand, focusing on promoting and developing specific regions such as Southern Thailand, Central Thailand, Northeastern Thailand, Northern Thailand, and Eastern Thailand.

Referring to Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba, Mr. Hue suggested that there should soon be a regional destination development center to build a common brand and develop products to avoid duplication and monotony.

Tu Nguyen

Source link: https://vnexpress.net/lo-lang-vi-vinh-ha-long-cat-ba-van-cat-cu-4663290.html