Rise of Ha Long Bay

Ha Long Bay

The Vietnamese province of Quang Ninh – home to UNESCO-listed Ha Long Bay – is set to shine brighter as a tourist destination as it has been on the receiving end of recent huge investments.

In 4Q2018, air, sea and road connectivity to the north-eastern city was vastly improved, thanks to the opening of the Ha Noi-Hai Phong-Ha Long expressway, and the launch of the Hon Gai international port and Van Don International Airport.

Jeff Redl, managing director of Diethelm Viet Nam, said: “This opens up more opportunities for connections between Ho Chi Minh City and Ha Long and Van Don, where big projects are being proposed for development.”

Armand Cheveux, director of marketing at Bhaya Group, expects the new products to stimulate further investment into the area and encourage visitors to spend more time exploring Ha Long’s surroundings.

Cheveux said: “Yen Tu Mountain is an example of successful development as some hotels have been opened there to cater to (cruise travellers in Ha Long Bay). We believe more (of such developments) bound to happen in the future.”

Oleg Shafranov, Khiri Viet Nam’s general manager, said while these developments create new tourism opportunities, care needs to be taken to ensure that environmental impact is minimised.

“This rapid development also means a heavier load on the bay. However, with sound regulating measures, this can be averted,” he said.

By Marissa Carruthers
Source: TTG