Raw pearls need to be grated
Bai Tu Long Bay stands out with its rocky island system and majestic islands, pristine beaches, recognized as an ASEAN Heritage Park since 2017.
Mr. Nguyen Viet Dung - Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Quang Ninh province - said: " Bai Tu Long Bay has a suitable landscape to develop a variety of year-round tourism types such as sightseeing, swimming, boating, fishing, especially eco-tourism. Unlike Ha Long, this place has an island system with a community of residents, bringing a unique cultural experience to visitors.
The unique values of Bai Tu Long Bay are highly appreciated by many professional tour organizers.
Ms. Duong Van Nguyen - Director of Peony Edu Travel Company - said: "According to the initial survey, Bai Tu Long Bay is very suitable for high-end customers, this is a group of customers looking towards an area with unique and novel experiences. From there, I thought that Bai Tu Long Bay should open up services to explore caves and pristine beaches to attract tourists".
Unique discovery journeys
On March 29, Quang Ninh province announced 5 sightseeing routes on Bai Tu Long Bay, connecting destinations such as Ban Sen Island, Nha Tro Cave, Cong Lao Vong fishing village, Cai Lim beach... In particular, from April 30, 2025, daily cruise ship services will be operated at Ao Tien Port (Van Don District, Quang Ninh Province), along with culinary experience packages and overnight accommodation on the bay.
Immediately after announcing the tours on Bai Tu Long Bay, the People's Committee of Quang Ninh province organized the Bai Tu Long Bay Tourism Development Conference in 2025 to listen to opinions from departments, branches and travel businesses, aiming to attract domestic and foreign tourists.
At the conference, businesses proposed to focus on completing infrastructure, building accommodation facilities and developing eco-tourism products associated with environmental protection.
Mr. Pham Van Thuy - Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism - informed: "Tourism activities in Bai Tu Long Bay need to build unique products, promote industry linkages and apply technology in promotion, towards green tourism, focusing on customer experience".
In April 2025, Quang Ninh province will work and connect local businesses with travel agencies in Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City to bring international visitors to Bai Tu Long Bay. At the same time, the province will complete overnight anchorage spots, creating conditions for the development of high-end tourism products.
In 2024, Quang Ninh welcomed 19 million visitors, total revenue reached VND46,460 billion, contributing 9.64% of GRDP. In 2025, Quang Ninh aims to welcome 20 million visitors (including 4.5 million international visitors), the exploitation of Bai Tu Long Bay is considered a breakthrough for sustainable tourism development.
Further, according to the Provincial Planning for the period 2021-2030, Quang Ninh strives to become an international tourism center, welcoming 25 million visitors by 2030.
With majestic landscapes and a methodical development strategy, Bai Tu Long Bay is gradually affirming its position as an un must-see destination on the tourism map of Vietnam and the world.
