This year, the northern port city launched the Cat Ba Tourism Year one month earlier than normal, aiming tointroduce tourists with the unique tourism products of the Cat Ba archipelago, oneof the local major tourist destinations.
Bui Tuan Manh,Chairman of the People’s Committee of Cat Hai district, said that Cat Ba was recognisedby the UNESCO as a World Biosphere Reserves in 2004. Ithas become a national special relic site for its beautiful landscapes. Lan HaBay in Cat Ba has also been listed among best bays in the world.

Along with a number ofhigh-end accommodation facilities, Cat Ba has offered many new tourismproducts, including cruise ship tours. In the first three months of 2023, about 75,332 out of atotal of 190,400 visitors to Cat Ba spent their nights on the bay. The numberof tourists choosing cruise tours in Cat Ba is expected to continue increasing.
Vu Huy Thuong, ViceDirector of the Hai Phong Tourism Department, said that maritime tourism isdefined as a strength of Hai Phong, with major destinations of Sam Son and CatBa. The city is developing sport tourism such as golf, bike racing,marathon running connecting with cruise products.
He said that thecity also aims to develop themed tourism basing on its strengths, potentialand distinctiveness, forming a network of diverse and complementary products.
Data from the HaiPhong Statistics Office said that in the first quarter of this year, the cityserved over 1.38 million visitors, up 17.86% year on year, including 226,700foreigners, 6 times higher than that in the same period last year./.