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In order to develop
sustainable tourism associated with preserving the
heritage of Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh has affirmed that it
is not developing at all costs and minimizing the
consequences of visitor overcrowd at some sites on the
bay.
Over the past time, the number of tourists to Ha Long
Bay increased sharply each year. In 2016, Ha Long Bay
welcomed 3.14 million visitors, up 22% compared with
2015; 2017 welcomed 3.92 million visitors, up 24.7%.
From the beginning of the year, on peak days of the
tourist boats have served nearly 29,000 visitors.
According to Nguyen Huyen Anh, deputy head of Ha Long
Bay Management Board, tourism development alongside the
positive side also creates pressures for preserving the
heritage. Too many visitors to some places such as Thien
Cung, Dau Go, Sung Sot, Ti Top caves has exceeded the
capacity of the attractions, thus affecting the
resources. Overcrowding leads to the fact that some
caves in the bay are losing their natural beauty; Living
habits of some species on the bay also change, even the
risk of decline in the number.
According to Nguyen Huyen Anh, Ha Long Bay is facing
many problems of growth and negative impacts on the
environment due to the number of local customers at some
points. In this context, sustainable development is seen
as a strategic principle and a key to securing long-term
benefits. Therefore, the Committee will strengthen
measures to protect the ecological environment and
tourism environment; To study the application of high
technologies in environmental protection suitable to the
practical situation.
There are currently 505
cruise ships operating in Halong
bay with capacity of 21,500 seats. It is worth
mentioning that the number of ships has decreased 34
compared from the time Ha Long City People's Committee
took the function of state management from the
Department of Transport. However, due to increased
capacity of the ships, the number of tourists to Halong
kept increasing. Although all vessels have installed a
water separator system, equipped with waste collection
systems but can not avoid causing environmental
pollution during operation.
Therefore, in order to develop the
sustainable tourism
of Ha Long Bay, it is necessary to raise awareness and
culture of behavior for ship owners, captains and
crewmen. Resolutely stop all cruise ships that fail to
meet the requirements of safety and environment;
deployment of comment boxes in the port area, set up a
common telephone hotline for all units, functional
forces.
To limit the pressure from the rapid increase in tourist
arrivals, in the coming time, the Board will coordinate
the survey and assessment of visitors' needs to expand
the tourist space, build green tourism products,
diversify tourism products, increase the choices and the
experience for visitors, regulate evenly guests on the
bay. In particular, pay special attention to sustainable
tourism products, specifically tourism products for Ha
Long Bay. Beside the traditional tourism products, the
bay also has other attractive services of sea tourism,
such as kayak, rowing boat, visit exhibition of
archaeological items in Tien Ong cave, experience
Luon
tunnel cave, visit Cua Van Floating Culture Center,
experience a day as a fisherman, visit the pearl farming
and processing zone, sustainable aquaculture in Vung
Vieng, enjoy peaceful night on the bay...
New tourism products have been created to improve the
quality, to exploit in depth, distribute and reduce the
pressure on other points of visit, especially in the
core zone of heritage. Pham Dinh Huynh, Standing Deputy
Head of Ha Long Bay Management Board, said: "We have
reported to the provincial People's Committee plans to
open three more routes to visit Ha Long Bay is routes 6,
7 and 8. In fact these routes are separated from Route 4
that goes to Hang Co, Thay, and Cong Do grottoes. Cap
La, Vong Vieng, Hon Xep park.
For a number of scenic spots, offshore will prioritize
international class services to provide visitors with
better quality experiences. There are currently two
companies applying for a high-quality service. In the
coming time, Halong Bay will give priority to branded
travel agencies. Another measure to reduce the load is
to accelerate the investment progress, upgrade the
infrastructure of the points of potential to serve
visitors, reduce the load for the traditional points,
but not break the original landscape of heritage.
Currently, 89% of the entrance fees to Ha Long Bay have
been alloted to the Ha Long City People's Committee to
implement Ha Long Bay development goals, including
restoration, renovation and ODA related to the
environmental protection. With funding left Ha Long City
has invested in the management and preservation of
heritage, develop more auxiliary products, improve the
environment.
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