Quang Ninh (VNA) – The tourism sector in the northeastern province of Quang Ninh is witnessing rapid changes with an increasing number of luxury accommodation establishments and international-standard entertainment complexes and improved tourism services.
Ha Long port for tourist cruises (Photo: VNA) In the first 10 months of 2019, Quang Ninh province welcomed nearly 12 million holidaymakers – the highest number to date.
The figure showed that Quang Ninh’s tourism sector has witnessed strong changes and is entering a period of sustainable development with the accompanying of strategic investors.
With a wide range of tourism potential, Quang Ninh had defined tourism as a spearhead economic sector and earmarked resources for building strategic planning schemes.
To date, the province has completed an overall tourism development plan until 2020 with a vision through 2030 with consultancy from the US-based Boston Consulting Group (BCG).
The plan focuses on dealing with seven issues to boost the development of tourism in Quang Ninh, set out orientations for tourism development in four areas and put forth eight groups of solutions.
Strategic planning on transport infrastructure
With the aim of sustainably developing tourism in a professional, modern and effective direction to turn it into a spearhead economic sector with a growing proportion in the province’s gross regional domestic product (GRDP), Quang Ninh worked out breakthrough strategies in investment attraction, tourism infrastructure construction, personnel training and management policies in a bid to well address arising issues.
Director of the provincial Department of Tourism Pham Ngoc Thuy said Quang Ninh has attracted a series of new investment projects to build a road connecting the Tran Dynasty relic site with the Complex of Yen Tu Monuments and Landscape; Hai Phong-Ha Long expressway; expanded and upgraded Uong Bi-Bac Ninh road; and Van Don airport.
The completed planning and transport infrastructure created a premise for businesses to invest in major projects in Quang Ninh, helping to diversifying tourism products such as Vinpearl Resort & Spa Ha Long on Reu island in Bai Chay, Tuan Chau International Cruise Port, Ngoa Van-Ho Thien Cable Car and Tourist Site, Ha Long Ocean Park, FLC Ha Long Bay Golf Club & Luxury Resort and Ha Long Sheraton Hotel.
Bai Chay tourist site in Ha Long city (Quang Ninh) (Source: VNA)
Quang Ninh province is now home to 1,379 accommodation establishments with a total of 25,488 rooms, of which 60 are three-star, four-star or five-star hotels.
Attracting strategic investors
Director of the provincial Department of Tourism Pham Ngoc Thuy said the presence of strategic investors have given a facelift to Quang Ninh in terms of infrastructure and services.
The State created a legal corridor and private investors played the role as major momentum. Quang Ninh province created a favourable business environment to help businesses to develop further.
Quang Ninh’s tourism has witnessed rapid changes after enterprises poured big investments into the province. The number of accommodation establishments has increased rapidly with many five-star hotels such as FLC Ha Long Bay Golf Club & Luxury Resort (FLC Ha Long) and Vinpearl Resort & Spa Ha Long, as well as international-standard entertainment complexes like Sun World Ha Long Complex.
Big investors such as Vingroup, Sun Group, BIM Group, FLC, Tuan Chau Group and CEO have helped Quang Ninh develop its infrastructure for tourism development.
Illustrative image (Source: Vinpearl)
The number of tourists to Quang Ninh has been on the rise with new sources of visitors from different countries and territories around the world such as Japan, Hong Kong (China), the United Kingdom, France, Germany and the United States.
In the first 10 months of 2019, Quang Ninh welcomed more than 11.7 million visitors, up 10 percent year-on-year and equivalent to 84 percent of the yearly target. Of the figure, 4.2 million are foreign holidaymakers, up 4 percent from the same time last year.
The province earned 23.8 trillion VND (1.02 billion USD) from tourists, a year-on-year rise of 22 percent, or equivalent to 88 percent of the yearly goal./.
