To make the cruise fleet on Ha Long Bay more and more classy and professional

Recognized three times by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage, Ha Long Bay is considered a “priceless asset” of humanity. In order to develop in line with the heritage value in a sustainable manner, Quang Ninh is continuing to implement many effective solutions to improve the quality of the fleet, ensuring compliance with new development trends, affirming the brand value of the number 1 fleet in Vietnam.

Ha Long Bay - 3 times recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage, currently has more than 500 cruise ships operating with many types of high-class services.

Ha Long Bay currently owns the largest, most modern, classy and synchronized fleet of tourist ships in the country with a total of more than 500 ships, transporting millions of tourists each year to visit heritage sites and wonders with a variety of types from overnight stays, restaurants, sightseeing, connecting destinations on the Bay. The transportation of tourists with convenient services has made an important contribution to the tourism development of Quang Ninh and the effective and sustainable exploitation of Ha Long Bay heritage.

To have a strong, professional and classy fleet as it is today, with the goal of ensuring the rights of tourists, creating a fair and healthy tourism business environment, avoiding unnecessary losses, in recent years, Quang Ninh has issued many specific regulations, regularly inspecting and supervising the operation of tourist boats. The regulations at each stage have required technical standards of vehicles higher than the general regulations of the whole country to improve the safety of passengers. From there, shortcomings and violations such as running on the wrong route; picking up and dropping off passengers at the wrong place; violating traffic safety laws, regulations on prices and fees... have been gradually strictly managed and put into order. The fleet of vehicles ensures aesthetics, technical safety management, ensures the exploitation environment, gradually affirms the brand, brings satisfaction and trust to each journey of tourists.

In order to continue upgrading the fleet, closely following new development trends to match the position of an international-class tourist destination, Quang Ninh is currently focusing on implementing solutions to improve service quality and diversify tourism products. In particular, in addition to continuing to increase amenities, the province also adds a number of regulations to develop service types such as restaurant ships, night cruise streets... to exploit and promote existing tourism advantages and potentials.

Quang Ninh is also urgently reviewing, researching and collecting opinions to develop regulations on measures to manage the operation of inland waterway vehicles serving tourists in Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay. This regulation will continue to provide solutions to improve the quality and management of the fleet; tighten regulations on technical safety (design according to prescribed standards and regulations, synchronization of maritime equipment); environmental protection (waste, wastewater, bilge water, sanitation); specific regulations on the number of each type of vessel operating to transport tourists for sightseeing and accommodation based on calculating the demand and capacity of the destinations to have a roadmap to regulate the number of vessels accordingly; encourage ship owners to implement criteria to improve technical safety, environmental protection and service quality.

Tourists get off the boat to visit Ha Long Bay.

According to representatives of some ships operating in Ha Long Bay, in addition to the mandatory and specific regulations of the law on conditions for transport business, new regulations also need to follow the specific nature of the operating area. The goal will still be to ensure absolute safety for each tourist journey, so passenger transport vehicles in the bay need to be equipped with AIS or GPS journey monitoring equipment, cameras to monitor the engine room and both sides of the ship, the bow of the ship to ensure continuous operation, synchronous connection with the information system for managing and operating tourist ships; VHF communication equipment, standard fire fighting system; oil and water separation equipment to treat the quality of bilge water; maintain the quality of the white paint on the entire exterior of the ship's hull; have audio and visual equipment to guide guests; cover the kitchen area with fireproof materials; Equipped with fire pumps, mobile lifeboats, fireproof safes... In particular, restaurant ships need to encourage ship owners to equip food storage cabinets to ensure quality requirements and service quality equivalent to restaurant standards of 5-star accommodation ships...

For pick-up and drop-off times and itineraries, it is necessary to calculate appropriately, and clearly define the needs for each season. In the summer, the departure time may be earlier and the return time later, and vice versa, in the winter, the departure time will be adjusted later and the return time will be earlier. Similarly, for types such as overnight stays and restaurants, it is also necessary to calculate the return time and the anchorage point according to the season, in order to effectively exploit the needs of tourists, promote the effectiveness of investment means... From there, it will create motivation and encourage people and businesses to participate in creating new tourism products, developing night tourism, 4-season tourism... This is appropriate and necessary in the current period, meeting the needs and trends of tourism development in the province and the world.

The implementation of additional management regulations suitable for the development factors in the new stage is very necessary, which will meet the needs of the market economy so that Ha Long Bay is truly an important highlight in every tourist's journey when coming to Quang Ninh.

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