On October 22, 2019, the Ha Long Bay Management Board (Quang Ninh) sent tourism businesses a draft document on the project to increase the entrance fee to Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long Bay from January 2020. Accordingly, businesses have 3 days to respond.
Explaining the price increase, the Management Board said that this is a solution to distribute tourists on routes and tourist spots, ensuring appropriate reception capacity and contributing to environmental protection of Ha Long Bay. However, many businesses said that the proposed price is too high compared to the current price and the time for thinking is too short, many businesses did not even receive notification to respond.
According to the draft, the proposed fee increases by 20-73% (depending on the route) compared to the current level. Some changes are: visitors to route 2 (Soi Sim beach, Ti Top, Sung Sot cave, Me Cung cave, Bo Nau cave, Luon cave, Trong cave, Trinh Nu cave, Dong Tien lake) and staying 1 night increase by 73% (from 550,000 VND/time/person to 950,000 VND/time/person), visitors to route 3 (Cua Van fishing village cultural center, Cua Van fishing village, Tien Ong cave, Ba Ham lake, Ba Men temple, Ang Du) and staying 1 night increase by 60% (from 500,000 VND/time/person to 800,000 VND/time/person),...
According to representatives of travel companies, they have quoted tour prices until the end of 2021, but the price increase period (if approved) is only 3 months, which will cause heavy losses for businesses. Moreover, the units have signed tour prices a year in advance with foreign customers and changing prices is taboo.
It is known that the current tour price is based on the existing price structure, in which the profit margin for domestic travel companies is very small. Therefore, the sudden price increase will cause a chain reaction. Besides, the reason for the price increase is to reduce tourists and protect the environment of Ha Long is unclear.
On October 25, the People's Committee of Quang Ninh province issued Official Dispatch No. 7749/UBND-TM4 stating that currently, in order to ensure tourism stimulus, attract tourists to Quang Ninh in general and Ha Long in particular, especially winter tourism, the People's Committee requested the Ha Long Bay Management Board to temporarily suspend the adjustment of entrance fees to Ha Long Bay and Bai Tu Long; continue to promote and introduce destinations, improve the quality of tourism products in the area for a large number of domestic and foreign tourists.
