A breakthrough summer for Cat Ba tourism
In summer 2026, Cat Ba tourism made a major breakthrough, with a sharp increase in visitor numbers and revenue, along with a range of new tourism products and experiential spaces.
Summer 2026: Cat Ba tourism picks up speed
During the summer of 2026, a vibrant tourism atmosphere could be seen from Cat Ba town center to Cat Co, Tung Thu and Ben Beo beaches, as well as across Lan Ha Bay.
From early morning, numerous boats departed from the piers, taking visitors on sightseeing tours around the bay. In the evening, the town center became even busier, with a wide range of dining, entertainment and leisure activities.
Mr. Tran Duc Tung, a visitor from Thanh Hoa Province, said his family chose to return to Cat Ba this summer because transportation has become more convenient, while service quality and evening entertainment activities have also seen many new developments.
Behind the bustling tourism scene are impressive growth figures. By the end of May 2026, Cat Hai Special Zone had welcomed more than 1.6 million visitors, up 31% year on year and reaching 34.7% of the annual target. Domestic visitors accounted for more than 1 million, an increase of 57%. In May alone, Cat Hai Special Zone welcomed more than 551,000 visitors.
As the peak summer season began, the number of visitors to Cat Ba surged. By the end of July, total tourist arrivals in Cat Hai Special Zone had exceeded 3.3 million, up 15% compared with the same period last year and reaching 71% of the annual target.
A comparison of the two statistical milestones clearly shows the “heat” of the summer tourism season. During the first five months of the year, Cat Hai welcomed nearly 1.65 million visitors, but in just June and July, it welcomed an additional nearly 1.73 million. On average, the two peak summer months attracted around 865,000 visitors per month, approximately 2.6 times the monthly average recorded during the first five months of the year.
In July alone, the number of visitors exceeded 875,000, approximately 59% higher than in May. These figures show that the summer season is truly giving Cat Ba tourism a significant boost.
Domestic tourism has been the main driver of Cat Ba’s growth. After seven months, domestic arrivals exceeded 2.6 million, up 22% from the same period in 2025 and reaching 76.5% of the annual target.
This structure clearly reflects the characteristics of Cat Ba’s summer tourism, as demand for beach holidays among domestic travelers rises sharply. The destination’s capacity to accommodate visitors has also continued to strengthen. As of July, Cat Ba had 351 accommodation establishments with 6,951 rooms and 11,843 beds, including three five-star hotels.
New drivers of growth
The summer breakthrough is reflected not only in the number of tourists visiting Cat Ba but also in tourism revenue.
By the end of May, total revenue from accommodation and food services had reached VND 1.7 trillion, up 33.5% year on year. By the end of July, the figure had risen to more than VND 3.7 trillion, an increase of 18.7% and equivalent to 76% of the annual target. July alone generated more than VND 1 trillion in revenue.
In just June and July, revenue increased by more than VND 2 trillion, exceeding the total revenue generated during the first five months of the year. The summer peak, therefore, is not simply bringing in more visitors; it is also providing a direct boost to the local service sector.
Lan Ha Bay continues to be one of the destination’s most attractive tourism products. During the first seven months of 2026, the number of visitors taking sightseeing and overnight-stay tours in the bays around the Cat Ba Archipelago exceeded 740,000, including more than 425,000 sightseeing visitors and over 320,000 overnight guests. Revenue reached more than VND 178 billion, up 9.5% from the same period in 2025.
Notably, overnight visitors accounted for more than 42% of the total number of tourists using bay tourism products. This is a segment with strong potential to generate higher added value and aligns with the development of quality-oriented tourism rather than simply pursuing visitor numbers.
A new driver for Cat Ba tourism is the expansion of the inter-regional tourism space connecting Ha Long Bay and Lan Ha Bay. In 2026, a cruise route linking the two areas was launched with four itineraries: Ha Long 3 – Lan Ha, Ha Long 4 – Lan Ha, Ha Long 5 – Lan Ha, and Ha Long 6 – Lan Ha. This has created favorable conditions for businesses to develop two- to three-day packages combining cave visits, kayaking, beach activities, fishing village experiences and overnight stays on the bay.
Rather than Ha Long and Cat Ba remaining relatively independent destinations, connecting these two heritage sites opens up the possibility of developing cross-regional heritage itineraries, offering visitors more choices, particularly those looking for longer stays.
Cat Ba’s appeal this summer has also been boosted by the expansion of its tourism space and the diversification of tourism products. The VUI-Fest Cat Ba creative night market, featuring food, shopping and artistic activities, together with a range of services around Cat Ba Central Bay, has created additional spaces for entertainment after visitors finish their daytime sightseeing and beach activities.
From April 25 to September 2, 2026, an artistic fireworks show at Cat Ba Central Bay has been held three times a week, from 7:00 p.m. to 10:00 p.m. The program not only provides a highlight for the summer season but also enriches Cat Ba’s nighttime tourism offerings, giving visitors an additional reason to stay in the town center after their daytime activities.
The continuous addition of new tourism products is significant for Cat Ba’s tourism growth. With more options available to visitors, Cat Ba can not only attract new tourists but also encourage longer stays and increase visitor spending.
According to Mr. Phan Viet Dien, Chairman of the People’s Committee of Cat Hai Special Zone, in the coming period, the special zone will continue to focus resources on improving the investment and business environment, enhancing service quality, ensuring security and safety for visitors, strengthening management, and preserving the landscape and ecological environment, with a view to developing green and sustainable tourism.
This direction is particularly significant as Cat Ba is preparing to enter a new stage in its development as a destination. In July, the special area worked with the Hai Phong Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Vietnam Institute of Culture, Arts, Sports and Tourism to survey tourism routes, attractions and infrastructure in preparation for the dossier seeking recognition of Cat Ba as a national tourism area.
However, the concentration of millions of visitors within a short period also puts pressure on transportation, the environment, beaches, accommodation services and tourist attractions. The “challenge” for Cat Ba, therefore, is not simply how many more visitors it can accommodate, but more importantly, how long they stay, how much they spend and what kind of experience they receive.
The “momentum” generated by the summer of 2026 is opening up new opportunities for Cat Ba tourism. If the surge in visitor numbers can be translated into longer stays, higher spending, better service quality, while ensuring the preservation of natural resources and the environment, Cat Ba will not merely have a busy summer season but will also build a stronger foundation to become a green, high-quality and attractive year-round destination.
Nguyen Cuong - Xuan Thuy