Ha Long Tourism Week will take place between 24 April and 2 May with a lot of cultural and tourism events. On this occasion, Ha Long will officially receive the certificate granted by the New7Wonders of Nature certifying that Vietnam’s Ha Long Bay is one of seven new wonders of the world.
Vietnam Business Forum interviewed Mr Trinh Dang Thanh, Deputy Director of Quang Ninh Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism on embellishment and restoration of Ha Long Bay with a view to ensuring appropriate and sustainable exploitation. Thu Huyen reports.
What are the special features of Ha Long Tourism Week 2012?
Ha Long Tourism Week 2012 is scheduled from 24 April to 2 May with lots of cultural and sports activities to praise the value of Ha Long Bay, which has been recognized as a natural heritage of the world twice. It was also recognized as a new wonder of the world on 30 March.
Activities of the Tourism Week are organized in Ha Long City as well as in districts, towns and cities like Mong Cai, Van Don, Cam Pha and Uong Bi with a view to promoting images of Ha Long Bay, the people and places of Quang Ninh. Particularly, the ceremony to receive the certificate from the Chairman and Director of the New7Wonders of Nature will be held in this event. This event will be joined and congratulated by international and domestic organizations which will build up an inter-regional tourist area in order to develop unique tours of the region.
Tourism development also means that more projects need to be implemented. How do you assess this?
Economic development always has adverse impacts on natural values. Therefore, state administration and involvement of local community are needed in tourism planning, exploitation and scientific and professional preservation. To this end, tourism operators need to be pioneers in guiding product development, changing awareness of local people. The tourism community also needs to know how to exploit resources effectively while protecting them for the next generations. As such, Quang Ninh has developed plans to protect the tourism environment of Ha Long as well as provide training to tourism operators.
Ha Long is a natural heritage of the world with the contribution and conservation of the people. However, the provincial People’s Committee has recently raised ticket price right after Ha Long Bay is recognized as one of seven new wonders of the world, hasn’t it?
Tourists are paying a reasonable price for proper exploitation of Ha Long Bay natural heritage. Costs must be made up for. Without such compensation, exploitation cannot be effective, which impedes tourism development. Quang Ninh’s decision to adjust ticket price has been aimed at since early 2011 but randomly coincides with Ha Long Bay’s recognition as one of seven new wonders of the world. Price adjustment is a legal procedure which must be approved by People’s Council and commented by relevant departments and sectors as well as enterprises… Raising the ticket for visiting Ha Long Bay has partly met the demand for capital to maintain and improve Ha Long’s values. Tourists to Ha Long Bay are all pleased since it is recovering and preserving its brand name. There are not many complaints about prices because compared to other tourist attractions; the price of ticket here has not been set equal to its true value.
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