Quang Ninh Province pioneers green tourism development

Ha Van Sieu, Deputy Head of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism

What role does Quang Ninh play in Vietnam’s tourism development?

Quang Ninh plays a very important role in tourism development in the Red River Delta, the northeastern coastal region, and Vietnam as a whole. The province is part of the Hanoi-Hai Phong-Quang Ninh growth triangle and embraces international and national natural and cultural resources. It also enjoys favorable geographic, topographic and climate conditions. With these advantages, Quang Ninh has always taken the lead nationwide in tourist attraction. In 2018, it welcomed more than 12 million visitors, including 5.2 million foreign visitors. In the first eight months of 2019, Quang Ninh welcomed 10.5 million visitors including 3.7 million foreign visitors.

Quang Ninh has attracted major, strategic tourist infrastructure investors. What is your assessment of their contribution?

Quang Ninh has recently attracted strategic infrastructure investment projects including the Ha Long International Cruise Port, Van Don Airport, Ha Long-Van Don Highway, and Ha Long-Hai Phong Highway, which are expected to considerably ease visitors’ access to the province and greatly improve public utilities in the region. The Ha Long International Cruise Port is the first professional facility of its kind in Vietnam, while Van Don Airport is one of the most modern airports in the country. With leading tourist destinations and leading infrastructure projects, Quang Ninh has become a major, attractive destination for domestic and foreign visitors.

Quang Ninh is building high-class tourist offerings

What does Quang Ninh need to do to develop green tourism on a sustainable basis?

Quang Ninh will shift from a “brown” to a “green” growth model in the short and long term to reach sustainable development, with priority given to tourism as a spearhead industry of the province and important resource of the country. A matter of concern is how to develop tourism on a sustainable basis. It is very important to have a long-term strategy for preserving the world natural heritage site ​​of Ha Long Bay.

Developing green tourism on a sustainable basis is a major goal of Vietnam, and as a leading tourist center, Quang Ninh must be a pioneer and exemplary model of such development. Environmental protection initiatives, especially those for Ha Long Bay, must be encouraged and specific sanctions must be applied to businesses that infract environmental protection regulations.

Quang Ninh targets high-income tourists

What will Quang Ninh do to attract more high-income visitors?

Some international experts say many of our destinations are offering cheap tour packages to increase the number of tourists, but this affects natural resources and burdens infrastructure. It is important to have specific strategies and policies to attract high-income visitors in order to prolong their stay and reach sustainable tourism development.

Attracting quality visitors requires high quality tourist offerings, better tourist infrastructure facilities and a more diverse range of choices for visitors, including deluxe tours and services like boat and helicopter-based tours of Ha Long Bay, and proper treatment of heritage to reach sustainable tourism development.

Every tourism worker and investment project must be green tourism-oriented to offer high quality services, attract and satisfy high-income visitors, and reach sustainable tourism development.

Hoa Quynh