Entering the peak summer travel season, Quang Ninh is showing strong growth momentum with a host of new products and diverse experiences, particularly the breakthrough in island and marine tourism. Following the “boost” from the two major holiday periods that have just passed, the local tourism sector has officially shifted into high gear, aiming to welcome 22 million visitors in 2026, including 5.2 million international visitors.
During the Hung Kings’ Commemoration Day and 30 April–1 May holidays, Quang Ninh recorded an impressive “acceleration” as visitor numbers to its island and marine, border, and cultural destinations… continued to rise. Over the two holiday periods, Quang Ninh welcomed approximately 1,345,000 visitors. The destination’s appeal comes not only from its unique natural and cultural landscapes, but also from refreshed products and services, creating a bumper holiday season in terms of both visitor numbers and revenue.
The focal point of the summer travel season remains Ha Long Bay, a World Natural Heritage Site. In the four-day 30 April–1 May holiday alone, Ha Long Bay welcomed approximately 70,300 visitors. Beyond its heritage advantage, tourism businesses have quickly upgraded accommodation vessels, introduced innovations in cuisine, and organized artistic performances, offering visitors richer experiences. Notably, the tourism route connecting Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay officially began operating on 20 April, with four itineraries opening up a new direction for interregional tourism. Two-day, one-night and three-day, two-night accommodation products were quickly put into operation, enabling visitors to fully explore the two distinctive bays in a single journey and contributing to the formation of a stable, in-depth interregional tourism product.
One of the products attracting considerable interest from residents and visitors during this year’s summer travel season is a coastal bay tour aboard a red three-sail boat. Covering approximately 12km, the journey offers an entirely new perspective on the heritage bay. Images of the striking red sails against the heritage site’s blue backdrop quickly generated strong buzz on social media, becoming a favorite check-in spot for visitors.
Alongside Ha Long Bay, a World Natural Heritage Site, Quang Ninh’s tourism sector has recorded outstanding growth on the routes to Van Don and Co To islands. According to statistics from the Ao Tien High-Class Port Management Board, visitor numbers “flocking” in during the two holiday periods increased four- to fivefold compared with the 2025 holiday period. This positive signal stems from thorough investment and careful preparation by businesses and local authorities.
According to Mr. Dao Van Vu, Vice Chairman of the Van Don Special Zone People’s Committee, in Quan Lan and Minh Chau, island roads have been repaired and newly built, making travel by electric vehicle and motorbike more convenient. The electricity grid, clean water, and Internet have been invested in, adequately meeting visitors’ needs. The high-speed boat system serving the islands has also been upgraded in quality and expanded in number, helping shorten travel times and ensure safety.
In Co To Special Zone, the local authorities have also developed experiential tourism models focused on marine farming and agriculture, including visits to grouper and sweet snail farming models combined with kayaking and enjoying seafood on site. Co To Special Zone is developing “Hong Hai Smart Tourism Village” and reorganizing the nighttime tourism space in the central area, with the goal of building the brand “Green, Smart, Friendly Island.” The flag-raising ceremonies on the islands of Co To, Thanh Lan, and Tran have also become tourism products with profound spiritual value, attracting large numbers of visitors.
Beyond the island and marine areas, many tourism models linked to local culture are being developed in highland communes and areas inhabited by ethnic minorities. In Ky Thuong Commune, tourism is shifting toward the approach of “protecting the forest through culture,” with seasonal experiences such as picking bamboo shoots and gathering macadamia and chestnut seeds… Agricultural tourism models combining ecology and local culture, such as Am Vap Farm, not only provide livelihoods for the Dao Thanh Phan people but also help protect biodiversity in the Dong Son–Ky Thuong Nature Reserve.
In Hoanh Mo Commune, efforts have also focused on developing destinations such as the periodic market, Khe Van Waterfall, and Cao Ly Mountain, along with the community-based tourism villages of Song Mooc and Cao Son, offering activities including trekking, cloud hunting, and learning about the lives of local residents. In the coming period, Quang Ninh is expected to launch the “2 Countries – 1 Destination” tourism product through the Hoanh Mo (Vietnam)–Dong Trung (China) border gate pair, capitalizing on the advantages of border trade while combining it with highland cultural experiences. This tourism route is expected to become a “gateway” connecting visitors from the border area to major tourism centers such as Van Don and Ha Long… helping extend international visitors’ length of stay.
In the second quarter of 2026, Quang Ninh is expected to welcome nearly 6 million visitors, moving toward the goal of welcoming 22 million visitors for the full year 2026. With a solid growth foundation, a flexible strategy, and coordinated engagement across the entire system, Quang Ninh is facing a major opportunity to break through during the 2026 summer travel season.
