This viewpoint was given by Dr. Nguyen Anh Tuan, Director of the Institute for Tourism Development Research, during the Preliminary Conference of 5 years of implementing Resolution No. 45-NQ/TW on building and developing Hai Phong city to year 2030, vision to 2045, morning of August 2.
According to Mr. Tuan, UNESCO’s recognition of Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba archipelago as a World Heritage Site in September 2023 opens up many opportunities for Hai Phong – Quang Ninh tourism development, especially in building tourism brands. international calendar.
The only inter-provincial world heritage site in Vietnam includes Ha Long Bay in Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province, with an area of 43,400 hectares, 775 islands and the Cat Ba archipelago in Cat Hai district, Hai Phong City with 367 islands. The island is located on an area of about 300 square kilometers, in the middle of the Gulf of Tonkin.
Herd of Cat Ba langurs in Cua Dong area on Lan Ha Bay, an endemic animal species in the Cat Ba archipelago. Photo: Neahga Leonard
However, compared to Ha Long Bay, which has a stable, long-term and professional management and service system, Cat Ba has not really created its own characteristics and faces many difficulties in competing with tourism products. sea of Quang Ninh and the central coastal provinces. Cat Ba also lacks high-end accommodation facilities as the island has only two 5-star hotels. Local congestion at Got ferry terminal during peak periods still frequently occurs, causing inconvenience to tourists. Meanwhile, the new high-speed ferry terminal at Hong Bang port (replacing Binh wharf) is located in an unfavorable location, far from the center, Mr. Tuan commented.
Hai Phong also does not have a dedicated wharf to serve cruise tourists, capable of receiving yachts or large tonnage cruise ships. Professional tourism human resources, both in management agencies as well as in tourism service businesses, are also challenges the city needs to address in the near future.
In addition, Mr. Tuan said that local and localized thinking can have a long-term negative impact on promoting the value of the world natural heritage of Ha Long – Cat Ba Bay. “It is very difficult for Ha Long – Cat Ba to become an international tourism center if there are no drastic measures to overcome the problem on part of the management staff of both localities,” Mr. Tuan said.
Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh) and Lan Ha Bay (Cat Ba, Hai Phong) are two connected areas with similar landscapes. Photo: Ngoc Thanh
According to Mr. Tuan, close and substantive cooperation and association must be considered the leading solution in overcoming the stubbornness and partiality to effectively exploit and promote the value of the world natural heritage of Ha Bay. Long – Cat Ba archipelago, together with Do Son, this place will become an international tourism center in the future.
“The cooperation will increase the value of Ha Long – Cat Ba by two or even 10 times the current value,” Mr. Tuan assessed.
A representative of the Lan Ha Cruise Association said many times, their passenger ships were harassed by some officials on the Ha Long Bay side for “crossing the boundary” of the two bays. Up to now, cruise ships that want to travel from Ha Long to Lan Ha Bay, or vice versa, still have to wait for approval from the authorities of Quang Ninh and Hai Phong.
A business that operates overnight cruise ships in both Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay (Hai Phong) said they have to use two cruise ships at the same time because they are selling experience products in both Ha Long Bay, Lan Ha Bay, and Lan Ha Bay. Cat Ba archipelago. After taking guests sightseeing and staying one night on Ha Long Bay, the cruise ship will return to Tuan Chau wharf. From here, guests are transferred to a high-speed boat to the area where the Lan Ha cruise ship anchors in the waters of Gia Luan, Hai Phong, making the tourist’s journey roundabout and time-consuming.
Sightseeing prices on the two sides are also different. While visitors can visit any sandy beach in Lan Ha Bay to bathe, Ha Long Bay only allows guests to bathe in one beach.
Therefore, experts and businesses hope that the two localities will develop regulations for coordination in state management of travel activities, tour guides, tour times, especially guiding activities. sightseeing, entertaining and transporting tourists on Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay .
Furthermore, the two localities need to build bilateral and multilateral international cooperation; Host and participate in professional international conferences, fairs and seminars on tourism with international organizations and partners. Mr. Tuan suggested that the two localities proactively approach UNESCO to host conferences and seminars on tourism development at World Natural Heritages, World Biosphere Reserves and related areas to enhance tourism. World heritage destination brand of Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba archipelago.
Management problems between Quang Ninh and Hai Phong related to Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay (Cat Ba) have existed for many years, causing difficulties for cruise ships and tourists. Businesses and tourists hope that the two localities can jointly exploit and eliminate the “river barrier prohibiting markets” after the Ha Long – Cat Ba complex is recognized by UNESCO as a world heritage site.
Since 2021, the delegation of Hai Phong City has worked with Quang Ninh province on joint tourism activities between the two localities. In January this year, the People’s Committee of Hai Phong City and the People’s Committee of Quang Ninh province coordinated to organize a meeting to implement the Decision of the World Heritage Committee at the 45th session on the current status of conservation of Ha Long Bay. – Cat Ba archipelago.
Mr. Le Khac Nam, Vice Chairman of Hai Phong City People’s Committee , said that close cooperation to manage and exploit common heritage is definitely a must. The two localities will continue to discuss and agree on common issues such as sightseeing tours, information receiving channels and protection measures to propose and advise the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to assign implementation.
