Quang Ninh developing cruise ships in Bai Tu Long bay

Located next to the World Heritage Halong Bay, Bai Tu Long Bay possesses pristine natural beauty and diverse ecology, promising to be a new and attractive destination for tourists. In order to effectively manage and develop tourism activities here, Quang Ninh province has developed many plans, including planning and managing the tourist cruise ships, as well as expanding the space for tourism development, adding many new tourism products on Bai Tu Long Bay.

In May, the "Heritage Journey" connecting Halong Bay - Bai Tu Long Bay by The Grand Pioneers cruise ship of Viet Thuan Transport Company has come into operation, which is the premise for developing the cruise fleet on Bai Tu Long Bay. With a 3-day 2-night or 4-day 3-night itinerary, this tour not only helps visitors experience the majestic natural value of Halong Bay but also explore areas of Bai Tu Long National Park, the island communes of Quan Lan, Minh Chau, Ban Sen of Van Don district...

In order to strictly manage the cruise ships serving tourists, the Provincial People's Committee issued a Decision on promulgating regulations on measures to manage the operation of waterway transports serving tourists in Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay. Currently, the Committee is also considering approving the plan to develop the cruise ships in Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay, in conjunction with the communication plan to open Bai Tu Long Bay for tourism.

According to the plan, iron tourist ships operating in Halong Bay are encouraged to register and transfer operations to Bai Tu Long Bay. By 2025, it is expected to add 100 ships. In the period of 2026-2030, the number of additional ships will be reviewed and announced annually to ensure that the total number of ships and total tonnage of ships do not exceed the tourism capacity announced by competent authorities. Strive to achieve 100% of the number of newly built/replaced tourist ships with iron hulls (or similar materials) by 2030. At the same time, newly built tourist ships with a tonnage of 200 passengers or more, double-bottomed accommodation ships, and improved standards, technical safety conditions and environmental protection, with high service quality.

The Provincial People's Committee also aims to improve the efficiency of tourist boat operations; increase the occupancy rate of sightseeing boats from 40-70% on weekdays and 90-100% on peak days, and maintain the occupancy rate of accommodation boats at 70%. Optimizing the operating capacity will help reduce waste of resources, increase revenue and improve the quality of tourist experience.

Along with upgrading the fleet, Quang Ninh also focuses on investing in infrastructure to meet the increasing demand for tourism development. The province will upgrade the traffic system, ports and anchorage areas to ensure safety and create maximum convenience for tourists. This investment plan is divided into two phases: By 2025, the province will complete dredging the channel, install warning signs in dangerous areas, and renovate and expand the scale of receiving ships at ports. From 2026 to 2030, the inland waterway infrastructure system will continue to be completed, welcoming large-capacity ships and deploying modern technology applications in tourism services.

Previously, the Provincial People's Committee issued a Decision announcing the sightseeing routes on Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay. Accordingly, the province announced 3 itineraries connecting Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay, along with 10 separate discovery itineraries on Bai Tu Long Bay. These itineraries have been carefully surveyed, including unique destinations such as: Soi Sim, Trinh Nu Cave and many beautiful sandy beaches such as: Ban Chan, Luoi Liem. The new itineraries not only help tourists have more new and luxurious sightseeing spaces but also contribute to extending their stay and increasing spending. Some tourism businesses are ready to offer tours connecting Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay, creating high-end tourism products, attracting customers from the international market.

With a systematic orientation to expand tourism space and develop a tight fleet , Quang Ninh aims to not only increase the attractiveness of tourism products but also preserve the value of precious natural heritage. The plan to encourage investment in high-quality, environmentally friendly ships and manage the number of participating ships will help Halong Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay maintain sustainable attraction, while meeting the increasingly diverse needs of domestic and foreign tourists.

In the coming time, the Department of Tourism will coordinate with the Department of Transport to study and innovate the plan to organize and operate, arrange tourist ships to pick up passengers at ports and wharves to increase the tourist occupancy rate, increase investment and business efficiency of ship owners.

Based in Hanoi city, Private Halong Tours is a travel company specialized in private and custom cruise tours for families, couples and small groups who seek luxurious and exclusive travel experiences in Halong bay.