A team of UNESCO experts will be sent to Vietnam to assess possible risks to the conservation of Ha Long Bay , amid concerns that coastal development could threaten the world heritage site, Reuters reported.
“If threats are identified that endanger the integrity and outstanding features that make Ha Long Bay a world heritage site, UNESCO can require strong measures to remedy and protect this heritage,” said a UNESCO representative.
According to this news agency, Ha Long Bay's recognition by UNESCO as a world natural heritage has contributed to turning this place into a major tourist destination, attracting millions of visitors each year and boosting Vietnam's tourism revenue.
A team of UNESCO experts will be sent to Vietnam to assess possible risks to the conservation of Ha Long Bay. Photo: Loc Lien.
However, in a statement cited by the World Heritage Centre - UNESCO , there have long been concerns that the approval and implementation of new tourism projects, as well as urban areas along the coast in Ha Long City, have significantly affected Ha Long Bay.
Speaking to Tien Phong reporter , a tourism expert from UNESCO commented that over the past three decades, the majestic beauty of Ha Long Bay has not only been the pride of Quang Ninh province in particular but also of Vietnam in general. This has helped this bay become one of the most attractive destinations on the planet.
“The UNESCO delegation to Ha Long Bay will include experts from UNESCO and the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN),” the tourism expert revealed to Tien Phong reporter .
Nuno Ribeiro, a senior lecturer in tourism at RMIT University Vietnam, said that over- construction is threatening the unique natural beauty, biodiversity and ecological balance of Ha Long Bay - the features that helped it gain UNESCO recognition.
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