Hai Phong, Vietnam, often dubbed the "City of Rivers and Bridges," is on the brink of a significant transformation in its tourism sector. With over 50 rivers, including prominent ones like the Bach Dang, Cam, Lach Tray, Van Uc, and Thai Binh, the city boasts the highest river density in Northern Vietnam. Dr. Tran Thi Hoang Mai, Director of the Hai Phong Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism, emphasized the cultural and historical significance of these waterways, which have shaped the city’s identity and economic development.
The rivers are not only vital for the city’s heritage but also hold immense potential for tourism. The Cam, Lach Tray, and Van Uc rivers are set to become key corridors for economic and service development, particularly in river tourism. However, despite this potential, Hai Phong currently lacks organized river tours, relying instead on ad-hoc passenger transport and spontaneous tourism activities.
One major obstacle to developing river tourism in Hai Phong is the poor state of its waterway infrastructure. While Vingroup has invested in the Vu Yen marina, it remains small and primarily serves residents of the Vinhomes community. Furthermore, many of the river routes suffer from inadequate dredging, leading to siltation that hampers tourist transport.
Dr. Mai pointed out that the city has yet to establish a comprehensive strategy or plan for river tourism development. "River tourism has not been prioritized, and there are no specific projects in place to enhance this sector," she noted. The lack of investment in riverfront landscapes, including artistic lighting and cleanliness, further complicates efforts to attract tourists.
Experts in the tourism sector suggest that to unlock the full potential of river tourism, Hai Phong should focus on creating unique tourism products that combine historical sites, traditional craft villages, and riverside culinary experiences. Improving waterway transport infrastructure and investing in high-quality boats are essential to ensure safety and comfort for visitors.
Additionally, there is a pressing need for promotional efforts and tourism linkages, along with media campaigns to raise awareness about river tourism. Collaboration with neighboring provinces could further enhance the appeal of river tourism in the region.
Concurrently, preserving the natural landscape and environment is crucial. Efforts should be made to keep the rivers clean and maintain the ecological balance, while also organizing cultural events and festivals along the rivers to provide unique experiences for visitors.
Hoang Tuan Anh, Director of V24 Solutions, highlighted the global success of river tourism in cities like Bangkok, Paris, and Amsterdam. He believes that Hai Phong, with its extensive river system, could become a central hub for river tourism if it adopts a suitable public-private partnership (PPP) model. In the short term, between 2025 and 2030, the city should conduct surveys to assess the potential of its rivers and the needs of tourists.
"We need to organize conferences and workshops to explore solutions for maximizing the potential of Hai Phong's river tourism," Tuan Anh stated. A comprehensive river tourism plan is necessary, along with a legal framework to support PPP investments in infrastructure, stopping points, and riverside tourism services.
As a pilot initiative, routes like the Cam River route (from Hai Phong port to Vu Yen island and Bach Dang Giang) should be tested, alongside developing service models such as floating bars and ecological islands on the Cam, Tam Bac, and Lach Tray rivers.
By 2045, the vision for Hai Phong includes expanding inter-regional connections through inter-provincial river systems. This approach aims to create a cohesive tourism brand, “Green Waterway Tourism of Northern Vietnam,” incorporating digital technology and smart tourism solutions, such as electronic ticketing and journey mapping.
Nguyen Thi Hai Hoa, Deputy Principal of Hai Phong Tourism College, stressed the importance of training high-quality human resources to support sustainable tourism development. "To effectively exploit this potential, we need to enhance training programs, improve teaching capabilities, and invest in modern facilities and technology," she explained.
With its unique advantages and systematic investment in infrastructure and experience activities, Hai Phong is poised to harness the value of its scenic and cultural landscapes, potentially propelling its tourism industry forward. The city aims to attract 10 million tourists in 2025, including 1.5 million international visitors, generating a revenue of 12.4 trillion VND. In the first quarter of 2025 alone, Hai Phong welcomed over 1.8 million tourists.
In a related development, Thanh Hoa province is also making strides in tourism. On April 26, 2025, a famtrip seminar took place at the Hai Tien Eco-tourism Area, attended by Le Duc Giang, Vice Chairman of the Thanh Hoa Provincial People's Committee, and representatives from 120 travel businesses across the country. The seminar highlighted Thanh Hoa's recent breakthroughs in tourism, which have garnered positive feedback from tourists and travel service providers.
Giang emphasized the need to enhance human resource quality and diversify tourism products, particularly in green tourism, community tourism, and MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences, and Exhibitions) tourism. The Thanh Hoa Tourism Association pledged to support travel businesses in improving service and product quality.
As part of its tourism development strategy, Thanh Hoa aims to position itself as a leading tourism destination by 2025, particularly in marine tourism, eco-tourism, and cultural-spiritual tourism.
The Nghi Son Sea Tourism Festival, themed "Nghi Son Sea Pearl - Aspiration for Reaching Far," is set to kick off on April 24, 2025, marking the start of the Hai Hoa sea tourism season. This event aims to promote tourism in Thanh Hoa and attract visitors to the region.
In conclusion, both Hai Phong and Thanh Hoa are taking significant steps toward enhancing their tourism sectors, focusing on infrastructure development, quality service, and unique experiences to draw in both domestic and international tourists.
