Unity in the management of world heritage sites

Ha Long Bay, Bai Tu Long National Park, and the Yen Tu heritage complex in Quang Ninh province are key heritage sites with rich potential, which have been effectively preserved and exploited to serve the socio-economic development of the locality in recent years. Now, these heritage sites have been brought together under the unified management of the Ha Long Bay - Yen Tu World Heritage Management Board, marking a new chapter and opening up new opportunities for the preservation and promotion of heritage values.

The "3-in-1" painting

The Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son - Kiet Bac complex of historical and scenic sites has just been inscribed as a World Heritage Site. The photo was taken in the area of ​​the Ancestor Tower in Yen Tu.

In 2025, the Board reviewed, amended, and supplemented the policy mechanisms for managing relics and heritage sites related to Ha Long Bay to create a legal basis and framework for implementing conservation and heritage promotion activities. Simultaneously, it coordinated with relevant departments, agencies, and localities to resolve difficulties and obstacles in the process of preparing dossiers for allocating sea areas, land, and forests in Ha Long Bay, establishing the Bai Tu Long Marine Protected Area, and managing inter-provincial heritage sites; and implemented scientific research and application projects in the management, conservation, and sustainable promotion of the values ​​of relics and heritage sites within its management scope.

The unit has implemented environmental management and protection solutions at heritage sites, conducting 138 periodic monitoring visits; promoting the anti-plastic waste program at historical and heritage sites; organizing/coordinating waste collection, ensuring environmental hygiene and landscape preservation at historical and heritage sites and the border areas of Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago. In addition, it has focused its efforts on patrolling and protecting forest and marine resources with nearly 900 patrol and monitoring operations; proposing action against nearly 160 violations and imposing fines totaling 940 million VND; and maintaining the effective operation of hotlines, promptly addressing questions and requests from residents and tourists .

Ha Long Bay is expected to welcome 3.4 million visitors in 2025.

Focus on managing and developing tourism products and services, and improving the quality of visitor experiences. Proactively work with relevant units, advise the Provincial People's Committee on solutions to connect itineraries in Ha Long Bay with Lan Ha Bay, resolve obstacles, develop new products and services in Ha Long Bay, and propose some contents, tasks, and solutions for tourism development in Bai Tu Long National Park; coordinate the organization of the inauguration of the sightseeing and tourism route in Bai Tu Long Bay and Bai Tu Long National Park.

The unit also successfully organized traditional festivals at the Yen Tu, Tran Dynasty, and Bach Dang historical sites, ensuring they were wholesome, joyful, and safe. They coordinated the successful organization of the ceremony announcing the outstanding global value and the ceremony receiving the certificate recognizing the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son - Kiet Bac complex of historical sites and scenic spots as a World Cultural Heritage site. The reception and service for visitors were safe and attentive.

In 2025, the total number of visitors to Ha Long Bay is estimated to reach 3.4 million, with estimated revenue from entrance fees exceeding 988 billion VND, a slight increase compared to the provincial plan. The total number of visitors to Yen Tu is expected to reach nearly 1 million, including an estimated 567,000 visitors for sightseeing and the remainder attending events held there, with estimated revenue from entrance fees reaching 22 billion VND. The total number of visitors to the Tran Dynasty and Bach Dang historical sites is estimated at 655,000, a 4.5% increase compared to the same period in 2024.

Tourists watch traditional art performances at Yen Tu.

Efforts to promote and publicize the value, potential, and strengths of heritage sites have been strengthened. The unit has also developed a dossier to attract a Japanese project on wastewater treatment at tourist sites in Ha Long Bay. A cooperation plan has been signed with the Vietnam-Russia Tropical Center to implement scientific research projects in Bai Tu Long Bay. The unit has collaborated with the World Heritage Center and IUCN's feedback monitoring team to conduct field assessments of the Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago World Natural Heritage site; and has coordinated the organization of the 8th ASEAN Heritage Parks Conference. This year, the unit has prevented any forest fires within the boundaries of Ha Long Bay, Bai Tu Long National Park, and Yen Tu National Park.

There are still difficulties and obstacles.

Despite numerous efforts, the management, preservation, and promotion of heritage values ​​in 2025 still face difficulties and limitations. According to the unit's report, the development of some mechanisms and policies for heritage management has not met the required progress. The application of technology and digital transformation in heritage management is slow, inconsistent, and has not yet produced concrete results. While efforts have been made to connect tourism itineraries and services between Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay, the results are not yet clear.   In Ha Long Bay, there was also an incident where a tourist boat capsized due to a storm, resulting in casualties. Relevant agencies and units need to continue reviewing and strengthening safety procedures, personnel, and equipment for rescue and relief operations.

The ceremony to receive the certificate recognizing the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son, Kiet Bac complex of historical sites and scenic spots as a World Cultural Heritage site will be held in Yen Tu in December 2025.

Assessment reveals that these shortcomings stem from multiple causes, primarily obstacles related to policies and mechanisms. Currently, maritime management boundaries have not been assigned to the commune level, thus lacking a basis and failing to specifically identify which wards and communes will perform the functions and tasks of state management according to the decentralization of socio-economic activities, land allocation, and forest allocation.

The coordination and implementation of responsibilities by relevant departments, agencies, and localities in resolving outstanding issues and obstacles in Ha Long Bay, Bai Tu Long National Park, and Yen Tu has not been decisive, synchronized, or unified, and has not been resolved completely. These issues include: illegal aquaculture; management of solid waste originating from aquaculture activities floating at sea; recovery of forest land in Bai Tu Long National Park and Yen Tu forest currently managed and used by some organizations and individuals; and matters related to land and forest allocation, investment, and implementation of inspection conclusions.

Ha Long Bay as seen from the coastal area.

The telecommunications and digital transformation infrastructure in Ha Long Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay, and Yen Tu currently does not meet the needs (network, phone signal, etc.). The deployment of BTS stations in Ha Long Bay faces several legal obstacles, hindering communication and coordination for command, control, rescue operations, and the implementation of tasks related to digital transformation and load regulation.

Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago and the Yen Tu - Vinh Nghiem - Con Son - Kiet Bac complex of historical and scenic sites are all inter-provincial heritage sites; however, the management mechanisms for socio-economic activities and tourism between the localities containing these heritage sites are not yet unified or synchronized. With the new position and role of the Ha Long Bay - Yen Tu World Heritage Management Board, it is hoped that these difficulties and obstacles will be resolved more effectively in the near future.

Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/khi-cac-di-san-the-gioi-ve-chung-mot-nha-3390096.html