The northern province of Quang Ninh expects to earn a record VND1 trillion (USD45.5 million) from entrance fees to Ha Long Bay this year.

Foreign visitors fishing at Ha Long Bay.

Pham Dinh Huynh, deputy head of the bay management board, said that the sharp entrance fee rise was due to increased visitor numbers and the change in ticket sales. Since April this year, the board has bundled many attractions together, forcing tourists to pay more for a full package, instead of selling tickets for separate places as previously.

In the first nine months of this year, Ha Long City welcomed over 6.1 million visitors with total revenues of VND8.2 trillion (USD372.7 million), up 19% and 56% on-year respectively. The visitor number to Ha Long Bay only was estimated at nearly 3 million, up 25% on-year, including 1.9 million foreigners, up 24% on-year.

Under a decision issued by Quang Ninh Province’s authorities, from April 1 this year, the new fees for five sightseeing routes in Ha Long and Bai Tu Long Bays range between VND200,000 - 250,000 (USD 9-11) per route. 

Visitors had to pay an entrance fee of VND120,000 and additional fees for each single site they visited, ranging from VND30,000 - 50,000 per site in the past.

The fees for boat transport and overnight accommodation services in Ha Long Bay will range between VND500,000 - 750,000 (USD 22 - 33) per person, doubling the old levels of VND200,000 - 350,000 - 400,000 for one, two, and three nights, respectively.

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