Quang Ninh effectively exploits cruise ship tourist flow

Since the beginning of 2025, Quang Ninh's sea and island tourism has been bustling with super yachts docking at the port carrying thousands of international cruise ship tourists.

On the morning of the first day of Lunar New Year, Ha Long International Passenger Port welcomed two international cruise ships Seabourn Encore and Silver Whisper at the same time, bringing more than 1,200 tourists to experience and explore the nature, land and people of Quang Ninh.

According to experts, in the coming years, the number of cruise tourists to Ha Long will increase by about 15 to 20% with the regular appearance of major cruise lines in the world.

Mr. Pham Van Hiep, Director of Ha Long International Passenger Port, said: "The port has proactively connected and expanded the market for cruise tourists, worked with cruise representatives, introduced the scale and entry and exit policies of Quang Ninh, and participated in international cruise tourism fairs, organized famtrips for cruise tourists; provided information about major cultural activities, festivals, and major events of the province to cruise lines so that they could know and arrange routes and times to bring tourists to Quang Ninh. Special priority is given to promoting and introducing Ha Long International Passenger Port to countries developing cruise tourism such as the United States, Singapore, China, etc. to connect Ha Long destination in their cruises".

International tourists come to Ha Long on the first day of Lunar New Year 2025.

It is known that the Bac Hai-Ha Long cruise route, after about 16 years of interruption, will restart in November 2024.

The opening of this cruise route marks the good cooperative relationship between the two sides, marking the reconnection of this cruise route, bringing a total of nearly 1,500 international visitors to Ha Long by the end of 2024.

It can be seen that tourists on the Bac Hai-Ha Long cruise route are very excited and enthusiastic about visiting the World Heritage Site of Ha Long Bay along with the sightseeing and unique cultural features of Quang Ninh.

A representative of the Quang Ninh branch of Hon Gai Tourism and Services Joint Stock Company, the unit coordinating the reopening and exploitation of this route, said: “The current package tour price for Chinese tourists on the Beihai-Ha Long-Baihai route ranges from 1,000 to 1,500 yuan, equivalent to about 3.5 to 5.3 million VND/person, including 2 nights of accommodation, meals on board and some other services. Tourists pay for onshore expenses themselves.

The vibrant return of international cruise tourists to Quang Ninh has increased sharply in recent years.

It is forecasted that during the peak period of November 2025, there will be 3 trips/week of the Bac Hai-Ha Long passenger ship. This is a good sign for the extension and promotion of the development prospects of this sea tourism route. To diversify and increase the attraction of this route, the Company plans to expand tours, routes, and itineraries beyond Ha Long, such as extending the Hanoi-Ninh Binh route or connecting longer tours to Da Nang, Nha Trang, and Ho Chi Minh City.

Recently, on March 12, Quang Ninh province worked with a survey team to welcome Japanese cruise ships. Vice Chairwoman of Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee Nguyen Thi Hanh said: "The province is committed to creating the best conditions, at the same time building more attractive products, ensuring a safe and secure environment, thereby working with tourism and service units to promote Quang Ninh destination to the Japanese market, making Quang Ninh a regular destination for international cruise lines, including Japanese cruise ships".

Quang Ninh aims to welcome 4.5 million international visitors in 2025.

Welcoming the first cruise ship from the Japanese market to Ha Long, Quang Ninh on April 30 is the result of many persistent negotiation and promotion efforts by the province and related units. This is also the first time Quang Ninh province has welcomed a cruise ship in the form of a charter (chartering the entire trip) bringing Japanese tourists to Ha Long, opening up opportunities to promote cruise ship routes connecting Japan with Quang Ninh, concretizing the province's policy of attracting high-end tourists.

Representatives of the Peace Boat cruise ship management and operation organization (Japan) highly appreciated the synchronous and complete transportation and tourism infrastructure of Quang Ninh province, along with diverse experiences, meeting all the needs of tourists. The active coordination of Quang Ninh province and related units in ensuring the conditions for welcoming the upcoming cruise from the port, entry procedures, and reception plans at destinations will create a good impression on tourists. This is a premise for the unit to promote connections, bringing more cruise ships from Japan to Ha Long, Quang Ninh in the near future.

Developing cruise tourism is one of the key orientations of the province, with the goal of developing Quang Ninh into a tourism center, connecting the region and the world, a cultural industrial center with high-class resorts, a synchronous and modern infrastructure system, diverse, unique, high-quality tourism products, strong brands and global appeal, and high competitiveness; linking with airlines, cruise lines, and leading international tourism corporations. This is a very big goal, demonstrating the important role of Quang Ninh in promoting international and regional connections, contributing to socio-economic development in general and tourism in particular.

With a diverse, synchronous and modern transport infrastructure, including air routes, sea routes, inter-provincial expressways, especially Ha Long International Passenger Port (the only specialized international tourist cruise port in the country), Quang Ninh is ready to welcome high-class international cruise ships from countries around the world to Ha Long in 2025.

Quang Ninh is striving to reach 5.5 million visitors, revenue of more than 12,000 billion VND in the first quarter of 2025 and expand and develop traditional international tourist markets such as: Korea, China, Taiwan and some potential markets such as India, Australia, Germany. In particular, Quang Ninh plans to organize 170 programs, events, and tourism stimulus activities in the area. Of which, there are 24 programs, events, and cultural, sports, and tourism activities at international, national, and provincial levels; 146 local programs. Notable activities in the spring-summer season include: Ha Long Carnival 2025, Bach Dang Traditional Festival, Quang Ninh Ethnic Culture Festival 2025, Aqua Warriors HaLong Bay 2025, Quang Ninh OCOP Summer Fair 2025; Motorized kite and paragliding festivals, lion and dragon festivals… These are unique and attractive tourism products, attracting an increasing number of international cruise tourists to Quang Ninh in the coming time.

Effectively exploiting the flow of international tourists arriving by ship is an important goal of Quang Ninh in transforming the economy from "brown to green".

Quang Ninh is striving to become a regional and international tourism center, a cultural industrial center with high-class resorts, a synchronous and modern infrastructure system, diverse, unique, high-quality tourism products, strong brands and global appeal, and high competitiveness; linking with airlines, cruise lines, and leading international tourism corporations. This is also a major goal, demonstrating the important role of Quang Ninh province in promoting international and regional connections, contributing to socio-economic development in general and tourism in particular.

Source: https://nhandan.vn/quang-ninh-khai-thac-hieu-qua-dong-khach-du-lich-tau-bien-post864849.html