(Fatherland) - Khanh Hoa is facing difficulties in receiving international cruise ships because Nha Trang Port is under repair, but authorities are looking for optimal solutions to continue receiving this flow of visitors.
On October 23, the Coral Princess cruise ship arrived in Khanh Hoa, docking at Cam Ranh International Port with 2,300 tourists of many nationalities. The group divided into many groups to visit Nha Trang and other tourist attractions in the city, or to the Wyndham Grand KN Paradise Cam Ranh resort (Bai Dai - Cam Ranh).
This is a cruise ship that Hai Dang Nha Trang Maritime Agency Company Limited is scheduled to welcome at the end of 2024. Mr. Do Thanh Long - director of this company said that he has coordinated with related units to discuss with Princess Cruises, and this shipping company agreed to let the Coral Princess ship arrive at Cam Ranh International Port, the task of bringing tourists to Nha Trang is undertaken by the travel agency.
Coral Princess cruise ship docked at Cam Ranh International Port on the morning of October 23. Photo: Anh Phat
Previously, the unit’s 7 scheduled cruises to Nha Trang with a total of 16,000 passengers were canceled. From now until the end of the year, the unit plans to welcome 2 more cruises, and in 2025, the unit’s list of cruises to welcome international cruise ships is about 37. “Hai Dang Agency hopes that local authorities and relevant parties can find a feasible solution for the 2025 international cruise ship season,” Mr. Long expressed.
Since Nha Trang Port was forced to temporarily close for repairs at the end of September 2024, Khanh Hoa province's cruise tourism sector has been severely affected, with many cruise ships with tens of thousands of passengers canceling their trips to Nha Trang. The risk of Khanh Hoa "absent" international cruise ships in the next 2-4 years is also a common concern of shipping agents and travel businesses. Because shipping lines always plan for 2-4 years, it is necessary to determine stable berthing points, port fees, etc., to avoid last-minute changes, causing difficulties for both shipping lines and tourists.
International passenger ship anchored in Nha Trang Bay in 2023. Photo: Phuc Hau
In 2023, Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa welcomed 23 international cruise ships with over 45,000 visitors. In 2024, the locality plans to welcome 44 cruise ships, and has welcomed 28 cruise ships with nearly 58,000 visitors.
Although Cam Ranh International Port has modern facilities, including 2 wharves that can accommodate passenger ships up to 226,000 GT, located in a sheltered bay, ensuring year-round maritime operations without the need for tenders, additional costs are a major barrier for travel agencies, as they are the units that register to organize tours for passengers on board at the destination.
According to the original plan, the units offered tours to tourists on ships to visit Nha Trang, the price of the route from Nha Trang port to places within a radius of 15km, about 4-6 hours. Now the schedule has to be changed to Cam Ranh International Port, 50km from Nha Trang, leading to an increase in all costs. The shipping lines, travel businesses and partners are forced to share the cost to continue serving cruise tourists.
According to Mr. Pham Minh Nhut - Permanent Vice President of Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa Tourism Association, the parties need to "find a common voice" to resolve difficulties in welcoming international cruise ships. If cruise ship tourists cannot be welcomed, it will be a pity for Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa tourism, losing a large source of visitors at the end of this year.
"If travel agencies and shipping lines bear some of the additional costs arising from changing the pick-up point, they can still organize tours to take tourists from Cam Ranh International Port to visit Nha Trang City," Mr. Nhut said.
Cruise ship tourists disembark at Cam Ranh International Port on the morning of October 23. Photo: Anh Phat
Ms. Nguyen Thi Le Thanh - Director of Khanh Hoa Provincial Department of Tourism informed that in order to restore international cruise ship operations, the Department has recently conducted a survey to develop a tour program to serve international cruise ship tourists to Cam Ranh International Port, with the participation of the Port operator, Cam Ranh City People's Committee, Cam Lam District People's Committee and businesses welcoming international cruise ship passengers. At the same time, a working session was held with sectors, travel businesses, and shipping agents to discuss and agree to report to the Provincial People's Committee on solutions to remove difficulties for international cruise ship operations to Nha Trang - Khanh Hoa in the coming time.
Ms. Thanh believes that Cam Ranh International Port’s participation in welcoming international cruise ships will contribute to diversifying the destinations for welcoming cruise ships to the locality. In the period 2016-2017, Cam Ranh International Port welcomed many large cruise ships such as Legend of The Seas, SuperStar Vigor, Mariner of The Seas, Genting Dream, World Dream, etc. Therefore, Khanh Hoa tourism industry hopes that cruise lines will continue to bring cruise ships to Cam Ranh International Port for sightseeing as planned.
On the side of Tan Cang - Petro Cam Ranh Company Limited, this unit has supported part of the cost of towing the ship, provided free buses to transport passengers from the wharf to the tourist area in Cam Ranh peninsula. And is coordinating with Nha Trang Maritime Port Authority, maritime agency businesses to welcome tourist ships in the coming time.
Nha Trang Port is in the process of upgrading. Photo: Duc Thao
Mr. Dinh Van Thieu - Vice Chairman of Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee, said that in the long term, the province will focus on upgrading infrastructure, completing procedures to have more ports and wharves to welcome cruise ships as well as building new tourism products to create more options for cruise lines in the future.
Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee has assigned the Department of Transport to coordinate with a number of relevant units to complete necessary procedures to soon put Ana Marina Nha Trang marina into operation to welcome cruise ship tourists; requested Nha Trang Port Joint Stock Company to have an investment plan to upgrade the port to soon put it into operation to welcome guests again; assigned the Department of Tourism to coordinate with the People's Committees of Cam Lam district and Cam Ranh city to research and develop tourism products to serve cruise ship tourists to Cam Ranh International Port./.
In the coming time, the Vietnam Maritime Administration, Khanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee and related units will discuss the current situation, plans and solutions for exploiting and receiving international passenger ships, ensuring maritime safety and security at Khanh Hoa province's seaports.
Source: https://toquoc.vn/du-lich-tau-bien-khanh-hoa-tim-lai-co-hoi-20241025142915323.htm
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