Speaking at a consultation conference on a project proposal for the Development of Quang Ninh’s Tourism Industry as a Regional and International Hub on January 23, representatives from the Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee reaffirmed the target of welcoming 25 million tourists by 2030, 8 million of whom will be foreign visitors, for average annual growth of 6 per cent.

The northern province, home to Ha Long Bay, plans to attract at least 17 million visitors this year, with 3 million to be foreigners. By 2025, the target increases to 18-20 million visitors, with at least 4.5-5 million being foreigners, and contributing 11-12 per cent to its GRDP.

At the conference, the provincial government set an objective of developing Quang Ninh’s tourism industry into a spearhead and sustainable economic sector, affirming its role as a central hub connecting regional and international tourism by 2030.

The government’s project proposal stated that, fundamentally, Quang Ninh has already met certain conditions to become a regional and international tourism hub, like geographic location, economic conditions, socio-political stability, and convenience for regional and international connectivity. Furthermore, security and social safety are consistently ensured for both tourists and local residents.  

Transportation infrastructure connecting Quang Ninh to other regions is constantly being upgraded to meet international standards.

This infrastructure has the ability to connect the province to multiple international tourism centers, with one notable example being the aviation industry. The tourism industry’s contribution to the province’s GRDP is estimated to be at least 10 per cent.

The criteria for green tourism development, along with the sustainable growth of the economy and society, are consistently given special emphasis by the provincial government.

However, in addition to these advantages, there exist certain difficulties and weaknesses that are hampering the development of the tourism industry. These weaknesses relate to the province’s tourism products, its role in regional and international connectivity, the quality of tourism growth, and limitations in terms of skilled human resources.

Conditions regarding policy mechanisms, scope, destinations, and accommodation infrastructure have only partially met the needs and requirements of tourists.

In particular, there are limitations in meeting standards to become a meeting destination for major global tourism brands, multinational travel companies, or those related to the tourism industry. This is crucial for developing Quang Ninh into a global tourism hub.

Experts and delegates at the conference recommended that the Provincial People’s Committee pay closer attention to environmental protection, waste management, wastewater treatment, and food safety and hygiene. Preserving biodiversity at heritage sites should also be given priority in order to protect tourism resources.

They also said the province’s project proposal needs to further clarify bottlenecks in the tourism industry to identify solutions. There is also a need to strengthen internal and external regional connectivity to create a complementary chain of products in places like the tourism triangle of Ha Long (Quang Ninh) - Hoang Long (Ninh Binh) - Thang Long (Hanoi).

Furthermore, Quang Ninh needs to focus on training and developing human resources in the tourism industry, especially language training, positioning its tourism sector on the global map via heritage sites such as Ha Long Bay and Yen Tu.

Speaking at the conference, Mr. Ha Van Sieu, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism (VNAT), suggested that the Quang Ninh Department of Tourism work closely with the Institute for Tourism Development Research to finalize the proposal and submit it for approval by the Provincial People’s Committee.

He also suggested that the People’s Committee decisively implement the plan to achieve the goal of making Quang Ninh a central hub for regional and global tourism.