Mr. Pham Duc An, Chairman of the Quang Ninh Provincial People's Committee, wished a Happy New Year to the first cruise passengers of the year.

In the joyful atmosphere of the new Spring, on the morning of January 29 (the first day of the Lunar New Year), Mr. Pham Duc An, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, visited Ha Long International Cruise Port. He presented flowers and extended New Year greetings to the first cruise passengers to "break ground" in Quang Ninh. Also present to welcome the guests were the leadership of the Ha Long Bay Management Department, Mr. Vu Kien Cuong – Director of the Department, and Ms. Nguyen Huyen Anh, Director of the Department of Tourism.

 The Silver Dawn cruise ship, carrying over 500 international tourists from European and American countries, arrived at Ha Long International Cruise Port. As soon as they disembarked, the first guests of the year were greeted with New Year wishes, flowers, and "lucky money" (red envelopes) in accordance with traditional customs. Mr. Pham Duc An, Deputy Secretary of the Provincial Party Committee and Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, expressed his joy and warmly welcomed the guests. He thanked them for choosing Ha Long as their destination on their journey. He also wished them a prosperous and lucky New Year and hoped they would have an impressive, enjoyable, and fun trip to Ha Long.

According to the schedule, the Silver Dawn will stay overnight at Ha Long International Cruise Port on January 29 and continue its journey on January 30, 2025. Silver Dawn is the first cruise ship of the Lunar New Year and the 10th international cruise ship to dock at Ha Long International Cruise Port since the beginning of 2025. It is expected that around 70 international cruise ships from countries such as the UK, France, Germany, China, and others will bring nearly 90,000 passengers to Ha Long International Cruise Port in 2025.

After wishing the cruise passengers a Happy New Year, Chairman Pham Duc An spoke with the leaders of Ha Long International Cruise Port, the Ha Long Bay Management Department, and the units working on the first day of the New Year, as well as the ship owners welcoming passengers on the first day of the year.

 The Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee affirmed that the tourism industry in general, and tourism businesses in particular, need to continue to make greater efforts in preserving and promoting the values of Ha Long Bay, improving tourism infrastructure, enhancing service quality, and meeting the growing demands of visitors. He emphasized the goal of making Quang Ninh a province with modern service and industrial sectors, and an international tourism center.

The tradition of welcoming the first group of tourists to "break ground" in Ha Long on New Year's Day has also become a custom in Quang Ninh's tourism industry. This reflects the province's hospitality and care for visitors. Through this event, Quang Ninh's image as a dynamic, developed, beautiful, friendly, and welcoming destination is further promoted to friends from all over the world.

Translated by Thuý Hà./.