Under a newly approved plan to protect and promote the value of the Ha Long Bay-Yen Tu World Heritage Site and connect it with Bai Tu Long Bay, all tourist boats operating on Ha Long and Bai Tu Long bays are expected to have steel hulls or be made from equivalent materials by 2030.
The pilot programme for electric tourist boats is seen as an important step towards a new approach to passenger transport in the heritage area.
The tourist fleet on Ha Long Bay was established in 1988 with fewer than 10 wooden boats, each carrying between six and 15 passengers.
After nearly four decades of development, the fleet has changed significantly in terms of its size, scale and quality.
The number of boats reached a record 539 in 2015. In recent years, however, Quang Ninh has shifted its focus from expanding the fleet to improving quality and controlling its size to strike a balance between tourism development and heritage conservation.
The province now has 487 boats registered to operate on Ha Long Bay, of which 369 are in service and 118 are temporarily out of operation while awaiting new construction or replacement.
The current fleet includes 268 sightseeing boats with a combined capacity of 15,943 passengers; 97 accommodation boats with 1,815 rooms and capacity for 4,281 passengers; and four restaurant boats capable of carrying 1,140 passengers.
The restructuring of the fleet, including a higher proportion of steel-hulled boats and larger, higher-quality vessels, is intended to meet the province's tourism needs while complying with UNESCO recommendations against increasing the number of vessels operating in the core zone of the World Natural Heritage Site.
The existing fleet can still accommodate about 3.6 million sightseeing and overnight visitors a year.
Since 2021, more than 110 tourist boats have been newly built or replaced with steel-hulled vessels and put into service.
The new boats are not only more durable, safe and stable, but have also been designed to improve the quality of services offered to visitors.
Their interiors are generally more spacious and modern. Alongside dining, accommodation and sightseeing areas, many vessels now feature Jacuzzis, relaxation areas, photo opportunities, outdoor stages and other amenities.
The upgrades are intended to give visitors a wider range of experiences while supporting a more sustainable model of tourism on Ha Long and Bai Tu Long bays.
