Quảng Ninh Celebrates 30th Anniversary of Ha Long Bay’s UNESCO Recognition as a World Natural Heritage Site

On the evening of December 14, at the Vietnam-Japan Labor Culture Palace in Ha Long City, Quảng Ninh Province organized a special program to mark the 30th anniversary of Ha Long Bay being recognized by UNESCO as a World Natural Heritage Site (December 17, 1994 - December 17, 2024).

The ceremony was attended by several prominent officials, including Vũ Hồng Thanh, Member of the Central Executive Committee of the Communist Party of Vietnam, Member of the Standing Committee of the National Assembly, and Chairman of the National Assembly Economic Committee; Hoàng Đạo Cương, Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism; and Vishal Sharma, Ambassador and Chairman of the World Heritage Committee for the 46th Session.

From Quảng Ninh Province, attendees included: Trịnh Thị Minh Thanh, Permanent Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People’s Council; Phạm Đức Ấn, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Chairman of the Provincial People’s Committee; Đặng Xuân Phương, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee, Head of the Provincial National Assembly Delegation; as well as other leaders from the Provincial Party Committee, People’s Council, and People’s Committee, along with members of the Provincial Executive Committee, National Assembly delegates from Quảng Ninh, and numerous other distinguished guests.

At the ceremony, Mrs. Nguyễn Thị Hạnh, Vice Chairwoman of the Quảng Ninh Provincial People's Committee, affirmed that Ha Long Bay has made a worthy contribution to the development of Quảng Ninh, playing an important role in transforming tourism into a key economic pillar of the province and improving the people’s living standards. Over the past 30 years, Quảng Ninh province has worked responsibly with various solutions to preserve, protect, restore, and promote the values of Ha Long Bay, fully complying with the international conventions on the protection of cultural and natural heritage.

With continuous efforts and strong determination to implement regulations and commitments to international standards on heritage protection, after 30 years since UNESCO’s recognition, Ha Long Bay now has a new appearance. The globally outstanding values of the heritage have been well preserved; the potential and strengths of the region have been fully utilized; and the management framework, policies, and mechanisms for the protection of the heritage have been gradually reinforced and improved, establishing a solid foundation for a comprehensive and sustainable strategy to conserve and promote Ha Long Bay’s values.

At the ceremony, Mr. Hoàng Đạo Cương, the Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, also expressed his recognition and appreciation for the achievements and efforts in managing, preserving, and promoting the heritage of Ha Long Bay that Quảng Ninh province has made over the past 30 years. In the current context, when the world is facing major challenges such as climate change, environmental pollution, and pressures from economic development, particularly the rising pressure of tourism, the conservation and promotion of heritage values require continued efforts, creativity, and solidarity. In the future, Quảng Ninh needs to continue improving forecasting, assessment, and accurate identification of the situation, defining its position, role, unique potential, outstanding opportunities, competitive advantages, and challenges in management.

As the Chairman of the 46th session of the World Heritage Committee, Mr. Vishal Sharma expressed his pride in the achievements of the global heritage community in protecting heritage sites such as Ha Long Bay, a symbol of the world’s natural and cultural heritage.

Ha Long Bay has increasingly become an attractive destination, drawing both domestic and international tourists. It has been honored with numerous prestigious titles, including: World Natural Heritage, Special National Monument, New 7 Wonders of Nature, Global Geopark Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago, and Vietnam's Leading Tourist Destination. Since 1996, over 57 million visitors have visited Ha Long Bay, with entrance fees reaching more than 8.6 trillion VND. Ha Long Bay has truly become a famous brand for tourism in Quang Ninh, Vietnam, and the world. It is a source of pride for Quang Ninh Province and a top choice for both domestic and international visitors. CNN ranked it as one of the 25 most attractive destinations in the world in 2023.

The celebration program summarized and evaluated the 30-year journey of Ha Long Bay being recognized as a World Natural Heritage site by UNESCO. The Party, government, and people of Quang Ninh have made significant contributions in the management, preservation, and promotion of Ha Long Bay’s World Heritage values. Valuable lessons were drawn, and long-term strategies and solutions were identified to sustainably protect and promote the World Natural Heritage status of Ha Long Bay, contributing to the goal of developing Quang Ninh Province into an international tourism center, connecting with major tourist hubs in the region and the world.

Translated by Thuy Ha