The Management Board of Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh Province, northern Vietnam has proposed collecting sightseeing fees ranging from VND50,000 (US$2) to VND600,000 ($24) for three new tourist services in the bay, instead of no charge collection as previously.

The board is collecting feedback on its proposed fee collection plan before perfecting and submitting it to the provincial People’s Committee, which will in turn hand it over to the local People’s Council for consideration and approval.

The three new services have been recently launched and have attracted numerous travelers, but the board has not yet collected sightseeing fees for these services, while fees have been collected for older tourist services, according to Thanh Nien (Young People) newspaper.

The board stated that the proposed fee collection is necessary and aligns with Quang Ninh’s policies and orientations for socio-economic and tourism development.

The proceeds will be reinvested into the development of Ha Long Bay, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, to meet the requirements of management, conservation, and promotion of the heritage's values.

This will contribute to diversifying tourism products for night-time economic development and increasing tourism revenue.

Upon approval, the proposed fees will be collected from travelers using the three new tourist services, with certain cases being exempt from the charges.

The first service is the tour of Ha Long Bay - Gia Luan Commune (of neighboring Hai Phong City) with a fee of VND150,000 ($6) per adult (16 years old and older) from 6:30 am to 6:30 pm.

The second is for overall sightseeing in Ha Long Bay, in which travelers can enjoy all four current daytime travel routes using cruise ships and other licensed vessels, with a fee of VND600,000 per adult per tour from 6:30 am to 6:30 pm.

The third service is intended for visitors along the coast of Ha Long Bay using restaurant ships and other licensed vehicles, with a fee of VND100,000 ($4) per adult for a tour from 6:00 am to 11:00 pm.

The following fee reductions and exemptions are proposed for the three new tourist services.

Children aged seven to under 16 will receive a 20-percent fee reduction.

Elderly Vietnamese citizens aged 60 and older will be entitled to a 50-percent fee reduction.

All fees will be waived for people with severe disabilities and children under seven years old and under 1.2 meters in height.

As a result, the highest fee for the three new tourist services will be VND600,000, and the lowest will be VND50,000, applicable to Vietnamese citizens aged 60 and older using the third service.

The Management Board of Ha Long Bay is seeking feedback on its proposed fee collection plan by July 27, in order to revise and submit the plan to the Quang Ninh administration by the end of the month.

Like us on Facebook or follow us on X to get the latest news about Vietnam!