Keeping up with the trend of creating new and sustainable growth momentum from the heritage economy, the tourism industry is focusing on linking solutions and mobilizing resources to open up opportunities to preserve and promote the values of the World Natural Heritage Wonder of Ha Long Bay.
More than a year has passed since UNESCO approved the nomination dossier for Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago (in Quang Ninh province and Hai Phong city) to be recognized as a World Natural Heritage, making Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago the first inter-provincial world heritage site in Vietnam, contributing to creating greater attraction for the heritage.
Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago is known as the "pearl of the Gulf of Tonkin", a symphony of majestic mountains and forests and vast islands. This place is considered a geological museum, containing heritages with outstanding global values, witnessing the characteristic changes in the history of the development of the earth with evidence of the presence of primeval forests, bays and islands.
International tourists take souvenir photos on Ha Long Bay.
The expansion of the World Natural Heritage boundary brings many values to the two localities, as well as, puts Quang Ninh and Hai Phong in front of the opportunity to link and cooperate to jointly preserve and promote the value of the heritage. Speaking at the annual meeting between the two localities in early December 2024, Mr. Bui Tuan Manh, Deputy Secretary of the District Party Committee, Chairman of the People's Committee of Cat Hai District (Hai Phong City) said: Quang Ninh Province as well as Hai Phong City have jointly issued many legal documents to coordinate the management of the Heritage. In the trend of regional linkage and cooperation for mutual development, the two sides have worked together to remove the shortcomings and difficulties related to tourism development between the two localities, from linkage in state management, product development, promotion to human resource development, protection of the natural environment and business environment. The two localities have built a coordination regulation in state management with the operation of passenger and tourist transport vehicles on Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay; Complete the plan to unify passenger transportation time, increase sightseeing and accommodation time, ensure security and order, and protect the marine environment between Ha Long and Cat Ba.
Bustling cruise ships take visitors to Ha Long Bay from Tuan Chau International Passenger Port.
The economic development of Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago heritage does not stop at conservation work but also builds new tours, routes and itineraries based on the value of the heritage for economic development. The two localities closely coordinate with relevant units in consulting and proposing to open more tourist itineraries to Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay of Quang Ninh province, including 2 routes connecting to Cat Ba Archipelago of Hai Phong city, including: VHL5 journey from Ha Long to Thien Cung cave - Dau Go cave - Cho Da islet - Ba Hang - Dinh Huong islet - Trong Mai islet - Gia Luan wharf, Cat Ba; VHL6 journey from Ha Long to Chan Voi - Vung Ba Cua - Tung Lam island - Cap Bai islet (the end point of the journey adjacent to Gia Luan, Lan Ha Bay, Hai Phong city).
With the efforts of the two localities, Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago continues to be a popular tourist destination. From the beginning of 2024 to October 31, 2024, Ha Long Bay welcomed over 2.6 million visitors (over 1.5 million international visitors), and it is estimated that by the end of 2024, it will welcome about 3.1 million visitors. Cat Ba Archipelago welcomed over 1 million visitors, including 650,000 international visitors.
Ha Long Bay - the connecting center
Recognized as a World Natural Heritage Site three times, Ha Long Bay has been constantly developing tourism products, connecting with neighboring destinations and satellite destinations to bring diverse experiences to visitors. In particular, the "Heritage Journey" launched in May 2024 by Viet Thuan Transport Company Limited is one of 11 new tourism products in the Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay area and one of 62 new tourism products of the province registered to operate in 2024. This is also the first cruise connecting tourism in Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay.
Cruise takes visitors on the "Heritage Journey" connecting Ha Long Bay - Bai Tu Long Bay.
Mr. Luong Huu Tuyen, Deputy Director of Viet Thuan Group, shared: With the "Heritage Journey" connecting Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay, we expect to bring visitors the most complete experience of the geomorphological forms, values, biodiversity, and precious cultural and historical values of Ha Long Bay, strongly awakening the tourism potential of Bai Tu Long Bay. In particular, the journey is a product that meets the increasing demand of tourists for high-class accommodation services on cruise ships in Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay, continuing to provide new, attractive, luxurious, sustainable tourism products and services, increasing the competitiveness of Ha Long and Van Don destinations. Thereby, extending the length of stay and spending of tourists; promoting innovation and creativity in the way of making products of high-class overnight cruise ships on the bay associated with protecting the sustainable values of the heritage and sea and islands of Quang Ninh.
Tourists experience romantic space on Ha Long Bay.
Ms. Kim So Huyn (Korean tourist) shared: With its majestic natural beauty and rich marine ecosystem, the journey to visit Ha Long Bay - Bai Tu Long Bay is an ideal destination for those who want to immerse themselves in nature and explore the unique and diverse culture of the island region. In particular, during the cruise, we also watched a film screening about the history of the formation and development of Ha Long Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay and an exhibition of literature, poetry and historical documents about Ha Long Bay. Through that, we not only saw Ha Long through images but also felt and understood more deeply the cultural and historical values of the world's natural wonder.
Not only the cruise route connecting Ha Long Bay - Bai Tu Long Bay, in terms of sea and island tourism, the tourism industry has proactively researched, developed and deployed a series of tours and routes connecting famous sea and island tourist destinations in Quang Ninh. In 2020, the province approved the Master Plan on management and development of sea and island tourism products Ha Long - Bai Tu Long - Van Don - Co To in Decision No. 4686/QD-UBND dated December 21, 2020 of the People's Committee of Quang Ninh province. Connecting attractive and potential destinations creates a large space, containing a huge treasure trove of values serving tourism activities. This is a favorable condition for organizing continuous tours, connecting Bai Tu Long - Van Don - Co To with each other, with Ha Long and neighboring areas.
Quang Ninh province continues to invest in developing eco-tourism, cultural and community tourism products in Ha Long Bay - Bai Tu Long Bay - Van Don - Co To (Quang Ninh) and Cat Ba (Hai Phong) to connect heritage tourism spaces, in which Ha Long Bay is the center. Thereby, maximizing the advantages in connecting heritage spaces to develop eco-tourism, cultural and community tourism products.
In the process of developing heritage economy, linking is always a solution to create strength not only in conservation work but also in exchanging experiences and building local brand image. This is also a solution that Quang Ninh tourism industry is particularly interested in. Not only connecting heritages in the province, Quang Ninh also connects with other heritages of Vietnam through the "World Heritage Road" of Vietnam: Ha Long Bay - Thang Long Imperial Citadel - Trang An - Ho Dynasty Citadel - Phong Nha Ke Bang - Hue Ancient Capital - Hoi An Ancient Town - My Son Sanctuary, creating a unique tourist route. Ha Long Bay of Quang Ninh is also part of the World Natural Heritage Club in Vietnam, established in 2013. Through the activities of the club, it contributes to improving the effectiveness of management, conservation and promotion of heritage values associated with local economic and social development; strengthening propaganda and promotion of the image of Vietnam's world heritages domestically and internationally. At the same time, maintaining cooperative relationships and exchanging experiences between the Club and representatives of specialized agencies and organizations in Vietnam and between world heritages in Vietnam and other heritages in the world.
An interdisciplinary assessment team, including international experts in risk assessment and management from ICOMOS, representatives of the Department of Cultural Heritage and UNESCO Hanoi Office, surveyed the level of impact and damage caused by storm Yagi to Ha Long Bay.
In the region, Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh, Vietnam) together with the world cultural heritage city of Luang Prabang (Laos); the cultural heritage of the Ban Chiang archaeological site (Udonthani, Thailand) have created a "heritage triangle". Through the cooperation program connecting the "heritage triangle", tours and tourist routes between localities have been formed. In particular, the connection by road and air has created favorable conditions for tourists to reach all three points of the heritage triangle.
According to Mr. Pham Dinh Huynh, Deputy Head of the Ha Long Bay Management Board, the world heritage triangle project between the three provinces began in 2006. The parties have cooperated to promote tourism images, connect heritages, encourage and create maximum favorable conditions for investors and businesses of each side when bringing tourists to invest in the partner countries. In addition, promoting activities to connect world heritage sites through sending high-level delegations to participate in high-level talks; encouraging local tourism businesses to study, explore cooperation opportunities and design tourism routes in the "heritage triangle". At the same time, efforts are made to support each other in promoting and promoting tourism images and developing tourism human resources.
Forces mobilized to collect waste in Ha Long Bay after storm No. 3 (Yagi) in September 2024.
Over the years, the Ha Long Bay Management Board in particular and Quang Ninh province in general have always strived to connect with UNESCO organizations, promote their roles in organizations, clubs, and forums that Ha Long Bay participates in and is a member of, such as: Network of Marine World Heritage Managers, Association of the World's Most Beautiful Bays, G20 Network of Countries with Wonders Recognized as One of the Seven Wonders of the World (New7Wonders).... At the same time, maintain and expand, maintain close relationships with international organizations (World Heritage Center, International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), Network of Marine World Heritage Managers, UNESCO Hanoi Office... and international experts and scientists to exchange and propose support in experience, finance, and techniques for heritage management, environmental protection, sustainable tourism development, and training and capacity building in heritage management.
Through international cooperation activities, Quang Ninh province has many opportunities to exchange and propose support in experience, finance, and techniques for heritage management, environmental protection, sustainable tourism development, and training and capacity building for heritage management, such as: Building a resource circulation system on Ha Long Bay with the participation of local people; establishing a system for collecting and transporting waste on Ha Long Bay to shore for treatment using biofuels and building an environmental education model, raising awareness for the community to protect the world natural heritage of Ha Long Bay. At the same time, building a set of criteria for "Green Sail"; building sets of criteria for periodically monitoring the conservation status of heritage values; installing additional wastewater treatment systems using Jokaso technology on Dau Go Island; organizing mangrove planting campaigns, launching waste collection campaigns along the shore and at the foot of the island...
JICA expert team inspected the operation and wastewater treatment capacity of Jokaso equipment on Titop Island.
Linking and cooperating for development is an inevitable trend today. Ha Long Bay is facing new challenges and opportunities to both gain valuable experience in preserving and protecting heritage and gain new resources in many aspects to exploit and promote the value of heritage. Therefore, Quang Ninh will expand and enhance the effectiveness of communication cooperation between Quang Ninh province and domestic and foreign media agencies to regularly promote the image of the land, people, and unique culture of Quang Ninh, especially on digital platforms with diverse languages and influential media agencies in the world. At the same time, promote cultural diplomacy through foreign affairs activities with localities and international organizations with which the province has cooperative relations, through organizing cultural, sports and tourism events, etc., through publications and literary and artistic works to promote the value system of Quang Ninh, the value system of people, potential and strengths, attractive and friendly investment and tourism destinations of Quang Ninh to international friends. This is one of the solutions to move towards heritage economy as a new growth driver, creating a breakthrough for the economy, enhancing the position of the locality and the country.
Source: https://baoquangninh.vn/vinh-ha-long-hanh-trinh-ket-noi-cac-di-san-3335909.html
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