Ha Long Bay boat owners slam harsher regulations

Tourist boat owners in the northern province of Quang Ninh face huge financial losses under the provincial People's Committee's decision to put stricter controls on tourist boats.

Tourist boats in Ha Long Bay. —VNS Photo Truong Vi

Decision 716 was issued in March this year after a boat sank, drowning 12 passengers in Ha Long Bay in February.

The decision, which became effective last month, aims to strengthen management and safety of tourist boats on the Bay.

It stipulates regulations on working conditions and technical standards of the boats.

Ha Long Tourist Boats Union chairman Dao Manh Luong said most boat owners hailed the province's leaders for their prompt and necessary decision in the interests of tourism development in Ha Long and the demands from international tourists.

However, Luong said the regulations as they stood could be applied to ships being built but they were too strict for boats that had been in use for a while.

Under the decision, wooden tourist boats were allowed to operate for six to eight years and up to a further two years if they were upgraded.

If boat owners spent VND10 billion (US$476,000) to buy their boats they could not recover their capital in seven years, Luong said.

For instance, he said, the Phuong Tin 10 Ship of the Ha Long Tourism Development Company was upgraded at the beginning of this year at a cost of VND6 billion ($285,000) after nearly six years of use.

But Bui Ba Tien, the ship owner, had told him the boat could operate for only another year and a half under the new regulations, not long enough to recoup the outlay.

"It'll be a big loss," Luong said.

At present about 500 boats operate on Ha Long Bay, 150 of which are permitted to stay on the bay over night. If the decision was applied, more than 70 boats would have to cease operating by the end of the year because they had been in use for seven years," Luong said.

Provincial People's Committee deputy chairwoman Nhu Thi Hong Lien said the committee would meet later this month with ship owners and representatives of tourism companies to discuss the decision with a view to setting reasonable deadlines for tourist boats.

Cycling around Hanoi bike Tam Coc Hoa Lu Kenh Ga (2 days)

Day 1: Hanoi – Hoa Lu – Tam Coc (L,D).
8:00: You will be met up by Lotussia Travel team at your hotel in Hanoi (Please advise your hotel name upon your confirmation).

Hoi An tourism, a growing pain

Hoi An is a beautiful town in Central Vietnam. Since it was recognized as World Heritage by UNESCO in 1999, it has become a major tourist destination for individual travelers and tour groups from all over the world.

Hans van der Broek in Hoi An

Hoi An is a beautiful town in Central Vietnam. Since it was recognized as World Heritage by UNESCO in 1999, it has become a major tourist destination for individual travelers and tour groups from all over the world.

Ha Long Bay boat owners slam harsher regulations

Tourist boat owners in the northern province of Quang Ninh face huge financial losses under the provincial People's Committee's decision to put stricter controls on tourist boats.

Russia newspaper hails Mui Ne beach

A Russia newspaper, Труд (Labour) on January 13 ran published beautiful pictures, taken by its journalist Anna Stepkina, of the Mui Ne beach in the southern province of Binh Thuan.

“Tinh Hoa Tet Viet” festival to be held in Hanoi

“Tinh Hoa Tet Viet” (Vietnamese Lunar New Year essential) festival will be held at West Lake Park on the occasion of Lunar New Year 2011.

Travel firms offer Tet tours for tourists

As the Tet (Lunar New Year) Festival is approaching, tourist companies are eagerly preparing to launch tours to serve not only local holidaymakers but also tens of thousands of foreign visitors. Doan Thi Thanh Tra, Head of the Saigontourist Travel Service Corporation’s Marketing Department, said that as of January 26 (the 23rd day of the 12th lunar month) the company would begin to receive groups of foreign tourists who want to experience the Vietnamese people’s biggest traditional festival.