Hạ Long ready to welcome tourists back after Typhoon Yagi

Residents and authorities in Hạ Long City work hard to clean up after Typhoon Yagi.

QUẢNG NINH — After braving the impact of Typhoon Yagi, Hạ Long Bay is officially reopening to tourist boats on Friday, marking a major step forward for the city’s tourism industry after nearly a week of disruption.

Known as the city by the heritage bay, Hạ Long is gradually returning to normal, with tourism bouncing back quickly.

The city’s recovery campaign was highly effective, with residents and authorities working together to clean up the environment and restore urban areas.

Phan Thị Hải Hường, head of the Hạ Long City Party's Communication and Education Committee, said the city leaders directed local authorities, residents and businesses to begin recovery efforts immediately after the storm passed.

Now, life is steadily returning to normal.

In preparation for reopening, tourist boat operators in Hạ Long Bay have focused on maintenance and safety checks to ensure their vessels are fully ready.

Nearly all 180 tourist boats are set to welcome visitors again, following the Quảng Ninh province’s approval to resume operations.

Nguyễn Quang Khá, captain of Vịnh Xanh 9468 vessel, said he was surprised at how quickly recovery efforts progressed, attributing the success to the joint determination of local businesses and authorities.

Despite the challenges of recovery, he believes that tourism numbers will soon climb back up to previous heights.

Ngô Văn Nam, deputy head of the Hạ Long Tourist Boat Association, said that he had never before in his career experienced a storm of such magnitude and severity.

The association instructed boat operators to prepare thoroughly to ensure technical safety and provide the best possible service to tourists.

Tourism-related businesses across Hạ Long have also been steadily restoring their facilities and workforce in anticipation of the influx of visitors.

After the storm, several tourist groups, particularly international visitors, arrived in Hạ Long.

On Tuesday, after a brief pause due to Typhoon Yagi, Hạ Long International Cruise Port had reopened, welcoming international tourists eager to explore the UNESCO-recognised bay.

Nearly 70 boats carrying over 1,500 passengers from countries like China and South Korea travelled from Hà Nội to Hạ Long. However, for safety reasons, tourist activities at the port were once again temporarily halted to allow for safety inspections on Wednesday.

Nguyễn Thái Hưng, general director of Sài Gòn-Hạ Long Hotel, said that tourists, especially international visitors, expressed deep sympathy for the difficulties caused by the storm.

However, safety remained their top priority, and the hotel quickly implemented all necessary measures to ensure the comfort and security of their guests.

On Thursday, the Hạ Long City Party Committee met with representatives from local businesses -- including those in the tourism sector -- to discuss solutions for overcoming issues during the recovery.

These included tax adjustments, debt rescheduling, interest rate reductions and continued access to loans to help businesses recover in accordance with current regulations.

Hạ Long is expected to welcome over 9.5 million visitors this year.— VNS