Ha Long Bay’s 20-year World Heritage status celebrated
Addressing
the event, President of the Vietnam Fatherland Front Central Committee
Nguyen Thien Nhan congratulated the authorities and people of Quang Ninh
on Ha Long Bay’s 20-year world heritage status.
He said he hopes
Quang Ninh will do its utmost to attract more tourists while preserving
and promoting the value of the world natural heritage.
On
December 17, 1994, UNESCO designated the bay a World Heritage site of
globally outstanding value in terms of natural landscape. The
recognition was extended in 2000, and one year later, Ha Long Bay
outranked 261 other landscapes around the globe to become one of the
seven new natural wonders of the world.
Since becoming a world heritage site, Ha Long Bay has welcomed nearly
25 million visitors, contributing to turning Quang Ninh province into a
tourism magnet.
On the occasion, the province launched a
programme “Ha Long smile” with a view to developing the local tourism
sector. It also aims to help change the public’s awareness and turn
Quang Ninh into a land of smiles, hospitality and sociability.
Earlier,
Quang Ninh held a series of activities to mark the anniversary, such as
exhibitions of photographs and souvenir products on Ha Long Bay, and
workshops on the preservation and promotion of the natural heritage
value of the bay and businesses’ involvement.-VNA