As usual, at the end of the year, the number of international tourist arrivals to Quang Ninh increases sharply with the arrivals of cruise ships bringing a great number of high class tourists to Ha Long Bay.
A bustling season
The best time for cruise ships visiting Halong Bay falls from October to April. This year, although the number of cruises ships' arrivals to Halong Bay has decreased, Quang Ninh sees a rise of the arrivals of luxury cruise ships bringing more international tourists to the Bay.
With more than 3,000 tourists, Genting Dream (under the Dream Cruises) is the cruise ship bringing the largest number of tourists to Ha Long this year. Besides, the five-star Costa Fortuna cruise ship arrived in Quang Ninh on December 9, marking the opening of a marine tourism route linking Ha Long Bay to Fujian province, China. This tour was operated by Chinese tour operator Orangeways, which has strength in hosting Meeting, Incentive, Convention and Exhibition (MICE) tours in Europe and Asia.
The launching of the marine tourism route from Fujian’s Xiamen port city to Halong Bay is the outcome of the cooperation program promoting tourism development between Vietnam and China in general, and Quang Ninh and Fujian provinces in particular.
Apart from Genting Dream and Costa Fotuna, some of the Vietnam’s leading travel agencies, including Saigontourist, and Tan Hong Ltd.,Co (branches in Quang Ninh) has continuously received international cruise ships to Halong Bay. They are manily from Europe and America, namely Costa Victoria, Silver Shadow, Azamaza Journey, Sapphire Princess. Notably, the cruise ship Celebirty Millennium has brought over 2,000 tourists per arrival. As scheduled, on Dec. 21-22, Saigontourist’s branch in Quang Ninh will welcome the Azamaza Journey ship with 700 foreign tourists to visit Halong Bay.
Ha Long- an attractive destination
According to Mr. Vu Duy Vu, Deputy Head of Saigontourist Ltd., Co, Ha Long is always one of the best destinations in Vietnam for the cruise ships. For Saigontourist's customers, Ha Long is on the list of most-wanted destinations.
Currently, Ha Long city has paid much attention to the investment in tourism infrastructure including marinas, accommodations, entertainment complex in an effort of offering the best services to tourists and giving them a reason to come back.
It is forecasted that the arrivals of tourists to Halong Bay in 2018 will be outnumbered by the year of 2017. Travel agencies put their trust in policies by Quang Ninh’s functional authorities on attracting cruise ships, enhancing investment in infrastructure, as well as assisting them to enhance promotion activities.
Mr. Pham Ngoc Thuy, Head of Quang Ninh Tourism Department said that Quang Ninh plans to complete cruise marinas, and variety of tourism products and services in early 2019. It is expected that in the future, cruise tourism will be a special product of Quang Ninh. And Ha Long will become a must-see destination during the hi-end cruise ships’ journeys, attractiing an increasing number of international tourists to Quang Ninh.
Article by Thu Nguyen
