Entering the peak summer travel season, Quang Ninh is demonstrating strong growth momentum with a host of new products, diverse experiences, and especially the breakthrough of island and marine tourism. Propelled by the "impetus" of the two recent major holidays, the local tourism industry has officially shifted into high gear, aiming to welcome 22 million visitors in 2026, including 5.2 million international arrivals.
During the two holidays of Hung Kings' Commemoration Day and April 30 - May 1, Quang Ninh recorded an impressive "spurt" as tourist numbers flocking to island, border, and cultural destinations continuously surged. Across these two holidays, Quang Ninh welcomed approximately 1,345,000 visitors. The destination's appeal stems not only from its unique natural and cultural landscapes, but also from refreshed products and services, creating a bumper holiday season in both tourist volume and revenue.
The focal point of the summer tourism season continues to be the World Natural Heritage site of Ha Long Bay. In the 4-day April 30 - May 1 holiday alone, Ha Long Bay welcomed around 70,300 visitors. Beyond simply relying on heritage advantages, tourism enterprises swiftly upgraded overnight cruise ships, innovated culinary offerings, and organized artistic performances, delivering richer experiences to travelers. Notably, the tourist route connecting Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay, which officially commenced operations on April 20 with 4 itineraries, has opened up a new direction for inter-regional tourism. 2-day-1-night and 3-day-2-night accommodation packages have been quickly introduced, allowing visitors to fully explore both distinctive bays within a single journey and contributing to the formation of a stable, in-depth inter-regional tourism product.
One of the products attracting widespread interest from locals and visitors this summer season is the coastal bay sightseeing tour on traditional three-bulkhead red-sailed boats, covering an itinerary of around 12km that offers an entirely fresh perspective on the heritage bay. The sight of red sails standing out against the emerald backdrop of the heritage quickly generated a strong buzz on social media, becoming a favorite check-in spot for travelers.
Alongside the World Natural Heritage site of Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh tourism has seen remarkable growth on the island routes of Van Don and Co To. According to statistics from the Ao Tien High-Class Port Management Board, the volume of tourists "flocking" to the islands during the two holidays increased 4 to 5 times compared to the 2025 holiday period. This positive signal comes from systematic investment and thorough preparation by businesses and local authorities.
According to Mr. Dao Van Vu, Vice Chairman of the Van Don Special Zone People's Committee, on Quan Lan and Minh Chau islands, island roads have been repaired and newly built, making travel by electric buggy and motorbike more convenient. The power grid, clean water, and internet have been invested in, adequately meeting the needs of visitors. The high-speed boat fleet to the islands has also been upgraded in quality and increased in number, helping shorten travel times and ensure safety.
Meanwhile, in Co To Special Zone, the locality has also rolled out experiential tourism models featuring marine aquaculture and agriculture, from touring grouper and spotted babylon snail farming models combined with kayaking to enjoying fresh seafood on the spot. Co To Special Zone is developing the "Hong Hai Smart Tourism Village" and reorganizing night-time tourism spaces in the central area, striving to build the brand of a "Green, Smart, and Friendly Island". The flag-raising ceremonies on Co To, Thanh Lan, and Tran islands have also become tourism products of profound spiritual value, drawing large numbers of visitors.
Not only in coastal and island areas, but in highland communes and ethnic minority areas, many tourism models linked to indigenous culture are also being developed. In Ky Thuong commune, tourism is shifting toward "preserving forests through culture," with seasonal experiences such as gathering bamboo shoots, collecting doi seeds and chestnuts, and more. Agro-tourism models combining ecotourism and indigenous culture, such as Am Vap Farm, not only provide livelihoods for the Dao Thanh Phan ethnic people, but also contribute to protecting biodiversity in the Dong Son - Ky Thuong Nature Reserve.
Hoanh Mo commune has also focused on developing attractions such as the periodic market, Khe Van Waterfall, and Cao Ly Mountain, along with community-based tourism villages like Song Mooc and Cao Son, featuring activities like trekking, cloud hunting, and learning about the lives of local residents. In the coming time, Quang Ninh plans to launch the "2 Nations - 1 Destination" tourism product via the Hoanh Mo (Vietnam) - Dongzhong (China) border gate pair, leveraging border trade advantages combined with highland cultural experiences. This tour route is expected to become a "gateway" connecting visitors from border areas to major tourist hubs like Van Don and Ha Long, contributing to extending the length of stay for international visitors.
In the second quarter of 2026, Quang Ninh is projected to welcome nearly 6 million visitors, working toward the goal of welcoming 22 million visitors for the entire year 2026. With a solid foundation for growth, flexible strategies, and coordinated involvement across the whole system, Quang Ninh stands before a great opportunity to achieve a breakthrough in the summer tourism season of 2026.
