Along with the return of the Chinese tourist market to Vietnam, Mong Cai also welcomed a large number of tourists from this market to visit and experience. On September 3, the Department of Transport of Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region (China) and the Department of Transport of Quang Ninh Province (Vietnam) allowed the implementation of a fixed route to transport passengers between Nanning City (China) and Ha Long City (Vietnam) via the Bac Luan II Bridge.
Regarding the issue of bilateral tourism development cooperation through the international border gate pair, reporters from the Quang Ninh Provincial Media Center had a conversation with Ms. Hoang Tieu Thu, Director of Dong Hung Bien Quan Quoc Lu Company (Guangxi, China), one of the businesses with more than ten years of experience in bilateral tourism business through Mong Cai International Border Gate.
- Madam, the name Dong Hung Bien Quan Quoc Lu Company seems a bit special. Could you share a few things about your business?
+ That name means a business that operates a travel agency through the land border gate. I established Dong Hung Border Gate National Travel Company in 2012. And since then, we have always built good relationships with your agencies, units, and businesses in Vietnam. Previously, our business activities were mainly to bring Chinese tourists to Mong Cai City, Ha Long City, and your capital Hanoi.
Later, we expanded to bring customers to many other provinces of Vietnam, even to the Central and Southern provinces such as Hue, Da Nang and Ho Chi Minh City. Recently, we have received new tours bringing tourists from Vietnam to visit China. In 2023, our company was the first enterprise in Dong Hung to welcome customers at Mong Cai International Border Gate (Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam).
We have also had some cooperation and connection with businesses in Vietnam. After important events on tourism promotion, such as: Vietnam - China International Trade - Tourism Fair, Forum to promote border tourism activities through the international border gate pair Mong Cai (Quang Ninh province, Vietnam) - Dong Hung (Guangxi, China), we found more information, sought more partners and customers in the tourism sector. We also have many resources in the future to be able to connect and cooperate with each other in the long term.
- In your opinion, what benefits will quick customs clearance bring to travel businesses and tourists?
+ At the end of last year, from November 29, 2023, the two sides officially implemented passenger entry and exit through the Bac Luan II border gate. This brings more convenience to tourists, faster customs clearance procedures and tourists will have more time to rest and experience in Vietnam. This is a great thing for tourism businesses like us, because in the past, when picking up guests at Bac Luan I bridge, there were many complaints that immigration and exit were often congested. Picking up guests at Bac Luan II bridge will reduce the pressure on Bac Luan I bridge. And because of that, customs clearance procedures for tourists will be carried out faster. Therefore, tourists will also have more time to visit and travel, avoiding wasting time unnecessarily.
- Madam, how do you view the tourism development cooperation between the two sides in recent times?
+ I see that the relationship between the governments of Mong Cai (Quang Ninh, Vietnam) and Dongxing (Guangxi, China) is very good. That good relationship has helped tourism businesses on both sides cooperate a lot. Before 2019, the governments of the two countries had many activities to develop bilateral tourism.
Similarly, the operation of self-driving tourist cars from China through Mong Cai border gate to Ha Long city (Quang Ninh province, Vietnam) and vice versa was piloted since September 2016. It is known that by the end of 2019, there were 35 cars and 108 tourists from Vietnam leaving for China for tourism; 424 cars and 1,443 tourists from China entering Vietnam for tourism in Ha Long, Quang Ninh. After that, the program was stopped due to the impact of the Covid-19 epidemic.
After China relaxed its policies after a long period of implementing “Zero Covid”, the number of visitors entering and exiting through the Mong Cai - Dongxing border gate pair has increased. Therefore, promoting the entry and exit function through Mong Cai International Border Gate (Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam) has contributed to promoting tourism activities between Vietnam and China in accordance with the spirit of Resolution No. 82/NQ-CP dated May 18, 2023 of the Vietnamese Government on key tasks and solutions to accelerate recovery and accelerate effective and sustainable tourism development.
The People's Committee of Quang Ninh Province (Vietnam) has approved the Pilot Plan for managing Chinese self-driving tourist vehicles entering Mong Cai City and Ha Long City (Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam) and coordinating the management of Vietnamese self-driving tourist vehicles entering China via Mong Cai International Border Gate. According to regulations, self-driving cars with 4-9 seats are inspected and granted transport licenses by the competent authorities of both sides. Drivers of self-driving cars must meet the requirements for driver's licenses, passports, visas, understand and comply with traffic regulations, and carry all vehicle documents such as safety inspection and insurance. Vehicles must have the logo of the organizing unit for easy identification, must travel in groups, be led by a Vietnamese car, and operate according to a predetermined route. Each group of 10 or more guests, each car has 2 or more people...
Customers are becoming more and more diverse, demanding more services and more demands. Tourism businesses have also made many efforts to innovate themselves, meeting the increasing demands of tourists. We hope that the governments of both sides will continue to support us as in previous years. Now, I feel that we can do better in tourism development cooperation between the two countries.
- What helps you make such a judgment?
+ This is the most favorable time ever for the development of self-driving tourist vehicles because the traffic infrastructure on both sides has developed much more than before, such as: Quang Ninh Province (Vietnam) has the Mong Cai - Van Don expressway, Guangxi (China) has the expressway from Dongxing to Nanning in just 50 minutes. Meanwhile, the demand for tourists to participate in self-driving tours has increased significantly compared to 2019. However, the requirement for a longer stay, a more unique tour program, and experiencing more destinations, such as: Liuzhou, Guilin (China). Through our research, the 5-day, 4-night tour is being chosen by the majority of tourists.
Our company has built the conditions to implement self-driving tours that can last up to 10 days. The company has designed the program according to the length of stay of guests in China and has provided quotes to tourism businesses in Hai Phong, Hanoi and Quang Ninh (Vietnam). From the end of March 2024, Mong Cai City (Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam) has agreed to pilot the flow of tourists using passports and entry and exit books through the Bac Luan II bridge customs clearance on Saturdays and Sundays every week. On the remaining days of the week, normal entry and exit activities are still carried out at Mong Cai International Border Gate (Quang Ninh Province, Vietnam), Bac Luan I and Bac Luan II bridge areas according to regulations.
To ensure the conditions for customs clearance for passengers through Mong Cai International Border Gate (Bac Luan II Bridge Area), the customs and border guards have proactively coordinated with the functional forces of the border gate block to effectively carry out the work of traffic separation, fully arrange forces and equipment, ensure security and order, and create the most favorable conditions for citizens of the two countries when carrying out immigration procedures through Mong Cai International Border Gate (Bac Luan II Bridge Area). The passengers were extremely excited to experience the service of traveling by electric car through Mong Cai International Border Gate (Bac Luan II Bridge Area), the functional forces of the border gate block have created all conditions for the company as well as the passengers to carry out immigration procedures quickly.
- Thank you for this conversation!
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