Hạ Long Bay is one of the New Seven World Wonders of Nature. — Photo baoquangninh.com.vn

HẠ LONG CITY — A cultural programme highlighting Hạ Long Bay, one of the New Seven World Wonders of Nature, will be held on Saturday to celebrate a decade since the bay joined the prestigious list.

The programme themed Vịnh Hạ Long – Điểm Hẹn Kỳ Quan Thiên Nhiên Thế Giới (Hạ Long Bay – The World Natural Wonder Destination) is being held to mark the province of Quảng Ninh returning to the "new normal"  after the COVID-19 pandemic has been controlled and the 58th founding anniversary of the province (October 30, 1963 – October 30, 2021).

The outdoor event, which will take place at the Tuần Châu international tourism site in Hạ Long City and is planned to last for 70 minutes, aims to kick off the Quảng Ninh Province's tourism stimulus programme.

It features two parts titled Hạ Long – Điểm Đến của Những Nụ Cười (Hạ Long – Destination of Smiles) and Hạ Long – Kỳ Quan Bừng sáng (Hạ Long – A Shining Wonder).

In addition to various cultural and art activities directed by professional experts and performed by a large number of artists, the programme includes a fashion show of áo dài (Vietnamese traditional dress) staged by local women, promising to offer a vibrant and attractive atmosphere for audiences.

The event which is co-organised by Quảng Ninh Province People's Committee and Tuần Châu Group, aims to promote tourism in Hạ Long Bay and Quảng Ninh Province as a "safe, friendly and attractive" destination and effectively implement the provincial tourism stimulus programme.

After reopening its doors to tourists in November, Quảng Ninh expects to welcome between 1.5 and two million visitors in the fourth quarter of this year.

In 2011, Hạ Long Bay, meaning “descending dragon bay”,  surpassed more than 400 destinations from over 200 countries and territories to be named as one of the New 7 World Wonders of nature by the organisation New Open World.

Hạ Long Bay in Quảng Province is a famous attraction for visitors from across the country and the world. — VNA/VNS Photo

The bay has been recognised twice by UNESCO as World Natural Heritage sites for its landscape and geographical value. It has a 120km coastline and is approximately 1,553sq.km in size, with 1969 isles. The limestone in the bay has gone through 500 million years of formation in different conditions and environments.

Director of Quảng Ninh Department of Tourism Phạm Ngọc Thủy said from now until the end of 2021, the province plans to organise 50 events and activities to stimulate tourism development.

The provincial People's Committee has also developed a plan to restore and attract tourists in the fourth quarter of 2021 and will soon complete and promulgate a "temporary set of criteria for assessing the safety level in the prevention and control of COVID-19 pandemic for tourism activities".

On that basis, it will urgently establish a safe tourism model, minimising the risk of infection for residents and visitors, according to the authority official.

In order to restart tourism activities, at the end of September, the people's committees of Quảng Ninh Province and Hải Phòng City held a meeting to discuss co-operation in tourism development.

The two sides agreed on various issues including a continuation for tourism cooperation, developing coordination and management regulations on the operation of passenger and tourist transport vehicles on Hạ Long Bay and Lan Hạ Bay, completing a unified plan for the time of passenger transportation ensuring security and order as well as protecting the marine environment.

In October 2021, Quảng Ninh reopened a number of tourism activities within the province, along with ensuring the epidemic prevention and control process. It is also accelerating the vaccination of the second jabs for all local people by November 2021 so that it will pilot a plan to welcome domestic tourists from other provinces and cities in the country that have been in full control of the pandemic.

The province requested the tourism sector authority to quickly study and develop a masterplan to recover tourism until 2022-23. — VNS