Quang Ninh tourism enjoys strong recovery

With a high coverage of COVID-19 vaccination and good control of the pandemic, Quang Ninh was one of the first localities to re-open tourism in mid-March, and by late June, the province received 5.5 million visitors, more than half the target set for the year.

The flow of tourists increased strongly in June, the peak month of travelling season.

According to deputy director in charge of sales at Luxury Muong Thanh Quang Ninh Hotel Le Hong Thuy, the number of guests at his hotel since the end of May has seen a surge, even surpassing the pre-pandemic level. The hotel is filled to capacity most of the days, not only weekends.

He added that the biggest difficulty for the hotel at present is a shortage of labour, as many staff members had quit during the low period due to the pandemic.

In previous years, the peak travelling season normally began in June, but this year, the number of visitors saw a high increase in mid-May.

The provincial People’s Committee attributed the good signs of tourism to its measures to stimulate demand, such as organising events and festivals. All destinations in the province have re-opened to visitors. In particular, Quang Ninh’s hosting of competitions of seven sports in the 31st Southeast Asia Games (SEA Games 31), along with the organisation of events such as Carnaval Ha Long and Ao dai Festival, has helped attract crowds of visitors, including international travelers to the province.

Quang Ninh recorded an estimated 5.5 million tourists in the first six months of this year, up 120% from the same period in 2021.

Total revenues from tourism activities were estimated at over 12.1 trillion VND (520 million USD), a surge of 131.03% year-on-year, and equivalent to 147.55% of the figure in the development scenario for the first half.

Travel agencies said the 2022 summer brings good opportunities for tourism recovery, as people are eager to travel after more than two years they had to stay home due to pandemic-induced restrictions.

Nguyen Manh Toan, director of the Vinacomin Tourism & Trading Joint Stock Company, shared that bookings for tours to Quang Ninh went up strongly right after the province re-opened tourism. As of the end of June, the company served an estimated 6,000 -7,000 tourists, which is higher than the normal guest volume before the COVID-19 pandemic hit.

He added that a modern transport network in Quang Ninh, facilitating fast and convenient travelling, is one of the major advantages helping the province draw more visitors compared to other localities.

Nguyen Huong Giang, a tourist from Hanoi, said her family chose Quang Ninh for their first trip outside Hanoi after more than two years of the pandemic. They made use of a 50% reduction in sight-seeing fees in Quang Ninh to visit more attractions, she said, adding she was impressed by the landscape as well as the services in the province.

Quang Ninh offers diverse attractions to travelers. The most famous one, both domestically and internationally, is Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In addition, other destinations such as Bai Tu Long Bay, the Complex of Yen Tu Monuments and Landscape, the resort island of Co To, have also become leading choices for tourists.

Nguyen Manh Cuong from the northern mountainous province of Hoa Binh said his family frequently choose Quang Ninh for their vacations. Each time they discover new experience, he said, adding that in the latest trip, they were impressed by the new service of cruising trips at night.

Though not a new destination, Quang Ninh is able to attract tourists by constantly offering new products and new services. Recently, the province introduced several new products, namely cruising trips at night, helicopter tours over Ha Long Bay, or seaplane trips from Tuan Chau island (Ha Long City) to Co To Island, which give guests new experience in admiring the beauty of Ha Long Bay at night or from the sky.

The rising number of visitors is a good sign for Quang Ninh tourism. The sector is preparing for two upcoming major events, which are the 17th East Asia Inter-Regional Tourism Forum (EATOF) General Assembly, and the Clipper Race. Relevant agencies and the tourism association of the province are actively working with travel agencies and airlines on exploiting the new Van Don international airport.

In the latter half of 2022, Quang Ninh aims to attract five million more visitors and earn 10 trillion VND from tourism.