After 30 years of being recognized as a world natural heritage (December 1994), Ha Long Bay (Quang Ninh) has been preserved in its original state. Since receiving the international title, Ha Long Bay has made a positive contribution to local growth despite only exploiting a small part of its tourism resources.

Speaking with VOV reporters, Mr. Vu Kien Cuong, Head of Ha Long Bay Management Board, shared the next step to develop Ha Long Bay in harmony between heritage conservation and economic benefits.

Ha Long Bay is as beautiful as a watercolor painting.

PV:   Could you please share the highlights and important milestones in management work, especially heritage conservation, since Ha Long Bay was recognized by UNESCO as a world natural heritage?

Mr. Vu Kien Cuong: Since 1994, Ha Long Bay was recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage for the first time, and has gone through a 30-year process with many ups and downs. The outstanding results that we have evaluated and summarized after 30 years: Firstly, we have made great efforts to perfect the institutions, regulations, and rules for managing and protecting the heritage in the best way; Secondly, we have perfected the organizational apparatus to carry out the task of managing the heritage, directly including the Ha Long Bay Management Board.

From only a dozen people since its establishment in 1995, we now have a team of more than 300 cadres, civil servants, and workers, who are increasingly tested and trained; trained with professional qualifications to meet the requirements of the task of preserving, maintaining, and promoting the value of heritage. Most importantly, we have spread the value of heritage to the community in participating in protecting and promoting the value of heritage.

PV:   Ha Long Bay is protected in its original state, but the exploited values ​​account for only 10-20% of the value of tourism resources. In the past 10 years, Ha Long Bay has not had any new tourism products to attract tourists, especially the high-spending segment. What do you think about the statement: "Considered a "golden goose", Ha Long Bay seems to have not been exploited to its full potential", sir?

Mr. Vu Kien Cuong: This is also the concern of those who work as consultants on the management, protection and promotion of heritage values. In the past ten years, we must frankly admit that we have not had many innovations and have not been able to exploit to the fullest the other unique values ​​of Ha Long Bay.

Recognizing this issue, the Ha Long Bay Management Board coordinated with departments, branches and localities to advise the Provincial Party Committee, People's Council and People's Committee of Quang Ninh province to conduct fundamental and serious research in assessing tourism resources. What must be done immediately is to upgrade existing tourism products; then research to develop new tourism products in the direction of selecting high-class tourism products to serve high-end customers with the highest spending. For example, the system of caves that are currently still open will be exploited.

Second is the system of beaches and entertainment areas in areas far from the city center and far from areas with many tourists.

Mr. Vu Kien Cuong, Head of Ha Long Bay Management Board, Quang Ninh province .

PV:   Sir, Ha Long City (Quang Ninh) will be the venue for the Arts for Climate Festival in June 2025, in which 200 billionaires will come to Ha Long by super yacht. How will the Ha Long Bay Management Board take advantage of this opportunity to promote the Heritage and attract billionaires interested in investing in Ha Long Bay?

Mr. Vu Kien Cuong: These are billionaire guests from all over the world, they are setting very strict requirements for experiences, especially paying attention to overnight areas, areas to experience boating, kayaking, and bathing on truly pristine sandy beaches. We, together with the Department of Tourism and other departments and sectors, surveyed and identified two locations: Ban Chan and Cat Oan beaches. In addition, there are also overnight areas at Cong Do and Tra San. These are areas that are qualified to meet the requirements of this group of guests.

This is also a pilot activity. Later, we need to invest more in infrastructure and ensure safe conditions for waterways. Then we can expand it to welcome a larger number of visitors. The program has hundreds of billionaires coming. Currently, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs is also promoting it and Quang Ninh province will also coordinate closely to organize it.

PV:   Sir, what is the biggest challenge in the implementation, especially the newly approved UNESCO World Natural Heritage Ha Long Bay boundary to extend to Cat Ba island district, Hai Phong city?

Mr. Vu Kien Cuong: This is the first inter-provincial heritage in Vietnam recognized by UNESCO. The task is to create close coordination between Quang Ninh province and Hai Phong city in building management regulations for this inter-provincial heritage. We have also proactively worked with Hai Phong city agencies to discuss and advise the two localities to issue a common management regulation, seek opinions from the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to appraise, issue and create a mechanism to manage the heritage.

In addition, we also invited experts from UNESCO, UNESCO Representative Office in Hanoi to advise on the management of Inter-provincial Heritage, which we have for the first time in Vietnam. We always put conservation work first, not ignoring the task of conservation for economic development. This is the viewpoint and awareness throughout the process of managing and protecting heritage.

In the coming time, we will coordinate to build a development plan for Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba archipelago, ensuring the establishment of a strict management regulation. In addition, we will propose and recommend to the two localities to ensure that the task is to still have socio-economic development activities in the heritage area, but must put the conservation factor first.

PV:   Yes, thank you!

Source: https://vov.vn/du-lich/gia-tang-gia-tri-cho-di-san-thien-nhien-the-gioi-vinh-ha-long-cat-ba-post1146471.vov