Building unique, diverse, attractive tourism products worthy of the special position of the World Natural Heritage Wonder of Ha Long Bay is an urgent task that functional sectors and businesses in the province are striving to carry out.
Diverse experiences for tourists
Returning to Ha Long Bay for the third time, what Mr. Nguyen Trong Cuong (a tourist from Ho Chi Minh City) wanted to experience was the restaurant boat service on the bay. He shared: Every time I come to Ha Long Bay, I arrange to go in different seasons and experience a different type of service. When I saw the pictures and feedback from tourists about the restaurant boat service, watching the sunset on the bay made me very curious and immediately arranged my work to return to Ha Long. Indeed, the poetic space of the bay in autumn did not disappoint me. Not only that, I also had the opportunity to listen to music and watch my idol on this restaurant boat. These are memories that I cannot forget.
In fact, restaurant boat service is no longer strange to tourists when coming to Ha Long. Although it has only been in operation since 2022, this type of service has been loved by many tourists. Currently, there are 4 businesses with a total of 4 restaurant boats operating in the coastal area of the bay on the tour from Tuan Chau Passenger Port, Ha Long International Passenger Port to the coastal area of Ha Long City.
Along with the operation of restaurant ships, the tourist transport service on Ha Long Bay still attracts a large number of tourists, accounting for about 97% of the number of visitors using the service on the bay. There are currently 504 registered tourist ships, including 323 sightseeing ships, 177 accommodation ships, 4 restaurant ships and 7 discovery cruise ships. These ships are owned by 258 joint stock companies, limited liability companies, private enterprises and individual business households. Tourist ships transporting tourists on the Ha Long Bay heritage site operate on 5 tourist routes and anchor overnight in 5 areas announced for operation according to regulations.
It is known that Ha Long Bay currently has 12 tourism products and services that have been and are being exploited. The tourism products exploited by the Ha Long Bay Management Board include 4 products: sightseeing products, experiencing the outstanding global values of landscape aesthetics and geological - geomorphological values of the World Heritage Ha Long Bay by cruise ships, accommodation ships and discovery yachts. This is one of the unique experiences of the heritage. Currently, Ha Long Bay has 8 tourist tours. In addition, there are also products to learn about and visit historical - cultural relics, archaeological sites; swimming at Ti Top beach.
The cultural experience product of fishing villages of fishermen in Ha Long Bay has been deployed in Cua Van area and Vong Vieng area to serve tourists for many years, but due to the impact of storm No. 3 (Yagi), Cua Van Floating Cultural Center was severely damaged, part of it was submerged, the rest of the raft house system in Cua Van area was submerged. Currently, the cultural experience product of fishing villages of fishermen in Ha Long Bay is only maintained in Vong Vieng area to serve tourists visiting tour No. 3.
Along with tourism products managed by Ha Long Bay Management Board, 8 tourism products and services are being exploited by businesses, including: Beverage service and souvenir sales organized by Ha Long Bay Service Joint Stock Company at 11 tourist attractions on Ha Long Bay sightseeing routes. There are 6 rowing boat service businesses; 10 kayaking service businesses; 4 high-speed boat service businesses. The service of sightseeing combined with buying and selling seafood, watching seafood processing performances organized by Dai Yen Joint Stock Company at Vung Cap Tao is still in operation. In particular, the service of learning about pearl farming models, making and selling pearl jewelry (in Vung Tung Sau and Vong Vieng areas) is being temporarily suspended due to the heavy damage caused by the recent storm No. 3.
With unique tourism products, since the beginning of the year, Ha Long Bay has welcomed about 2.7 million visitors, of which in September and October alone, the number of international visitors accounted for 90%. |
According to the plan of the Provincial People's Committee, in 2024, Ha Long Bay will develop 10 tourism products and services, of which Ha Long Bay Management Board proposed 2 products and businesses proposed 8 products. Specifically, for the product proposed by the Bay Management Board, which is Entertainment Services in the areas of Ba Hang, Tung Sau, Vong Vieng, Hang Co, the Bay Management Board has guided businesses to develop and implement plans to ensure security, safety, rescue, and prevent environmental pollution in the operating areas. At the same time, coordinate with Ha Long City People's Committee to organize an actual inspection of facilities to ensure operating conditions in the 4 above-mentioned areas.
Regarding cultural tourism products, the Board is focusing on supplementing and completing the archaeological exhibition area at Tien Ong Cave and delimiting and placing signs around the archaeological artifacts area at Me Cung Cave. Along with that, organizing the teaching of love duet singing to serve the preservation and promotion of the cultural values of fishing villages on Ha Long Bay; implementing the repair, maintenance and upkeep of the Cua Van Floating Cultural Center.
In addition to focusing on implementing solutions to renew currently exploited tourism products, Ha Long Bay Management Board has also developed and implemented a plan to survey a number of typical caves, grottoes, pines, and sandbanks in the bay for research, discussion and consultation with the Provincial People's Committee. Thereby, contributing to improving the quality of tourist experience, especially targeting the market of tourists with high spending ability, such as: Private beaches, venues for performing arts activities, conferences, wedding parties, etc.
Removing difficulties for new tourism products
In addition to the products that have become brands, Ha Long Bay also has 3 tourism product development projects that have been assigned and approved by the Provincial People's Committee for enterprises to implement but have not yet been put into operation and served tourists. These are: Investment project for tourism products on route 4, Ha Long Bay - Bai Tu Long Bay invested by Dong Duong Cruise Joint Stock Company; Ha Long Bay Flora and Fauna Conservation Area project on Soi Sim Island invested by Soi Sim One Member Co., Ltd.; Investment and exploitation project for Trinh Nu Cave on Ha Long Bay invested by Bhaya Cruise Co., Ltd. All projects have common problems with legal procedures related to Ha Long Bay Planning, regulations on procedures for assigning sea areas and procedures for assigning land and assigning special-use forests for landscape protection.
Regarding 8 tourism products and services proposed by enterprises and oriented by the Provincial People's Committee to be put into operation and serve tourists in 2024, up to now, only 1/8 products are feasible, which is the product "Sightseeing and tourist accommodation boat on Ha Long Bay - Bai Tu Long Bay". Because this product has been announced by the Provincial People's Committee for sightseeing and tourism itineraries on Ha Long Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay, Decision No. 2119/QD-UBND dated July 19, 2024 of the Provincial People's Committee.
For the remaining 7 products, there are basically problems related to procedures for handing over sea areas and special-use forests in the World Natural Heritage area and the special national monument of Ha Long Bay. Some mechanisms and policies for the management and protection of Ha Long Bay heritage and the management of tourism services are under construction and have not been completed. In addition, the Government has not yet issued regulations on the management, use and exploitation of tourism infrastructure assets (including water and sea surfaces). Therefore, there is no basis for implementing the use of public assets of the Ha Long Bay Management Board for the purpose of leasing tourism infrastructure.
To remove this “bottleneck” as well as bring new tourism products into operation, last July, the Ha Long Bay Management Board chaired and invited the Department of Tourism, Ha Long City People’s Committee and 4 related businesses to discuss and agree on the contents related to the development of tourism products in Ha Long Bay. Based on the results of the meeting, Ha Long City People’s Committee agreed with the businesses to review the feasibility of the products for exploitation.
According to Head of the Bay Management Board Vu Kien Cuong, in order to focus on developing new, unique and highly competitive tourism products, targeting the high-end tourist market, worthy of the tourism potential of the World Heritage - Natural Wonder of Ha Long Bay, while the legal basis related to the development of tourism services in Ha Long Bay does not have specific guidelines, the Ha Long Bay Management Board proposes that the Provincial People's Committee allow the pilot implementation of 4 new tourism products and services in Ha Long Bay: Public beach bathing services, held at Soi Sim Island area, Co Cave area, Trinh Nu Cave area. High-end beach bathing services at small sandy beaches combined with kayaking, light parties on the sand at Ban Chan sand beach area; Nat island area; Tra Gioi island area; Luoi Liem island area; Tra San area; Cat Oan area; Ra Cat area. Art performance services combined with parties in caves at Trong cave, Ho Dong Tien cave, Co cave, Trinh Nu cave. Sightseeing and exploring the Tung - Ang ecosystem combined with relaxing fishing at Me Cung lake, Ba Ham lake, Hanh cave lake, and Ca Hong lake.
Accordingly, Ha Long Bay Management Board will invest in and renovate infrastructure; deploy infrastructure leasing methods to cooperate with businesses to organize service business. In addition, discuss and agree with businesses on the infrastructure leasing mechanism, procedures for receiving assets that businesses have invested in for Ha Long Bay Management Board to manage and exploit in accordance with State regulations. At the same time, deploy procedures for renovating and investing in infrastructure at the above mentioned sandbanks, caves, and lagoons to ensure sufficient conditions for pilot operations. It is expected that by 2025, tourism products and services will be exploited after the Provincial People's Committee agrees to allow the pilot.
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