Strengthening the management of water vehicles serving tourists

Quang Ninh has a variety of tourism types, in which sea and island tourism plays an important role, attracting millions of tourists each year. In particular, the tourist attractions of Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay are the preferred choice of many tourists. In order to better serve the needs of domestic and foreign tourists, Quang Ninh is constantly improving the quality and strengthening the management of water vehicles serving tourism with the goal of bringing tourists the most comfortable, relaxing, safe and impressive trips.

Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay attract millions of tourists every year to visit and experience. In order to further improve the quality of services and tourism, ensure higher safety for the fleets, and strongly attract tourists to the World Heritage - Natural Wonder of Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay, Quang Ninh has directed departments, branches, localities, associations, cruise ship branches, and related businesses to continue to improve the quality of the cruise ship fleet operating on the bay. Recently, the Provincial People's Committee held a meeting to deploy the development plan to improve the quality of the cruise ship fleet operating on Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay by 2030. Accordingly, the goal is to strive for 100% of the number of cruise ships operating on Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay to be newly built by 2030, replaced with steel hulls or equivalent materials.

Ha Long Bay is an attractive destination loved by domestic and foreign tourists.

Regarding the scale and quantity of tourist ships, high-quality tourist ships will be added, creating new products but not exceeding the total number of tourist ships according to the assessment of tourism capacity in Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay for each period. The number of additional tourist ships will be reviewed and announced annually on the basis of not exceeding the announced tourism capacity and in accordance with the waterway traffic infrastructure. In Ha Long Bay, not exceeding 520 ships (excluding discovery cruise ships). In Bai Tu Long Bay, 100 ships will be added by 2025.

Regarding the construction of new tourist ships, encourage ships with a capacity of 200 passengers or more and accommodation ships with double bottoms, improve standards, technical safety conditions, environmental protection, and high service quality. Along with that, continue to review investment in ports, passenger wharves, anchorage areas, and inland waterways serving tourism; strengthen management, improve the effectiveness of tourism management activities, including the activities of tourist fleets on the bay...

Along with implementing the Plan to develop and improve the quality of the tourist fleet operating in Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay by 2030, Quang Ninh has also just issued Decision No. 43/2024/QD-UBND, dated October 8, 2024, on promulgating Regulations on measures to manage the operation of inland waterway vehicles serving tourists in Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay, applied from October 20, 2024, replacing the temporary regulations previously issued. According to the new regulations, Quang Ninh clearly distinguishes types of inland waterway vehicles such as: sightseeing boats, floating restaurants, overnight tourist accommodation ships, discovery cruises, speedboats, means of entertainment services... Comprehensive measures to manage vehicles in terms of technical safety, environmental protection, amenities and measures to manage passenger pick-up and drop-off activities, operating on tourist routes suitable for each type of vehicle. The regulation also clarifies the responsibilities of organizations and individuals related to management and business activities on Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay, such as assessing the tourism capacity of the bay, proposing appropriate entrance fees, ensuring no waste of resources; building a model for operating tourist boats, and moving towards establishing a Smart Inland Waterway Vehicle Operation Center.

Over the years, Quang Ninh has always focused on building, developing and expanding tourism spaces, effectively exploiting resources, creating many new, diverse and attractive tourism products; combined with preserving, promoting heritage values, protecting the environment of Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay. Along with that, the province has always paid attention to developing and improving the quality of the tourist fleet operating on the bay, with the goal of bringing visitors the most impressive, attractive and safe experiences.

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