Cat Ba attracts international tourists
By the end of October, Cat Ba tourism had nearly reached its target for international visitors in 2025, signaling a positive start to the peak season.
International visitors captivated by Cat Ba’s beauty
Nearly a year after an enjoyable experience on the Pelican Ha Long – Cat Ba cruise in Lan Ha Bay of Cat Hai special zone, Hai Phong city, Belgian tourist Olivier Doku returned to Cat Ba at the end of October 2025.
During this visit, Olivier plans to spend most of his time exploring Cat Ba National Park. The visa exemption period extended to 45 days also allows him a comfortable long-term stay.
To attract international tourists, the Vietnam Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has taken a number of key measures, including proposing more flexible visa and entry-exit policies.
Most recently, a visa exemption policy for 12 European countries was introduced under a tourism stimulus program, along with visa waivers for prominent figures entering Vietnam to support socio-economic development.
This year, departments and sectors of Hai Phong and Cat Hai special zone have also organized many activities to promote the value of the Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Archipelago World Natural Heritage on international television, particularly well-known channels like CNN, Discovery, and TLC.
Images of the Cat Ba Archipelago have also appeared on screens of domestic and international Vietnam Airlines flights, LED displays at international airports, and social media platforms.
Cat Ba is regularly featured at international cultural events and cultural heritage exhibitions in countries such as Japan, South Korea, the US, and European nations.
Pham Tri Tuyen, Head of the Culture – Social Affairs Department of Cat Hai special zone, reported that in October, the first month of the peak season, Cat Ba welcomed over 136,000 international visitors, bringing the total number of foreign tourists from the beginning of the year to more than 1.12 million, up 26% compared to the same period in 2024, achieving 97.5% of the 2025 target.
Effective exploitation of World Natural Heritage brand
The cool climate, stunning scenery, and peaceful, uncrowded environment of Cat Ba in the autumn-winter season are particularly appealing to international visitors.
In addition to activities such as swimming, exploring caves, visiting Cat Ba National Park and the World Biosphere Reserve, and trying seafood specialties, international tourists enjoy overnight stays on the bays within the archipelago.
Cat Ba has become a leading international tourist destination in Hai Phong. In the coming period, the city’s tourism sector will continue promoting the Ha Long Bay – Cat Ba Archipelago World Natural Heritage at city investment promotion events in key markets in Northeast Asia, Southeast Asia, and other markets including the UK, France, Australia, and India.
The focus is on developing and improving tourism products such as sports tourism, island tourism, and connecting with cruise tourism to expand space and attract international visitors.
Promotional activities on social media and digital platforms like websites, fan pages, TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube will also be strengthened.
According to Mai Xuan Thang, Chairman of the city Tourism Association, Cat Ba’s tourism brand has been elevated after its recognition as a World Natural Heritage site and continues to attract international tourists.
The association will continue supporting tourism businesses in the city in general and Cat Hai special zone in particular in destination marketing, service quality improvement, and development of new tours to attract foreign visitors.
NGUYEN CUONG