Satoshi Kaito, deputy director of environmentalpolicy department from Japan’s Shiga prefecture, made the statement at aconference held in Ha Long city on November 8 to review the second phase of theproject – which was jointly carried out by the provincial People’s Committeeand the JICA from November 2016 to 2019.
Kaito said the project aims to support QuangNinh to promote green growth and reduce environmental pollution in Ha Long Bayarea through the implementation of sustainable environment and tourismdevelopment policies.
Under the project, the JICA has helped QuangNinh open a journey exploring the history and culture of Quan Lan island in VanDon district and another for visitors to experience the life of farmers andfishermen on the island, according to Kaito.
The Japanese agency also helped with theinstallation of eco-friendly marine composting toilets at tourist boats andbuilding “Blue Sail” certificate for tourist ships on Ha Long Bay, he said.
It also supported the province to buildenergy-saving solutions and publish white papers on green growth in the bay in2017 and 2018, he added.
Vice Chairman of the provincial People’sCommittee Dang Huy Hau said Quang Ninh defines that in order to obtainsustainable development, the province must push ahead with economicrestructuring, shifting from dependence on industrial production and miningindustry to service development, sustainable tourism and sea-based economy.
The province has set up a research centre for HaLong Bay according to the model of Biwa lake in Shiga prefecture. The centre istasked with conducting scientific research, applying and developingtechnologies in environmental resources and bidoversity conservation, and promotinginternational cooperation in science-technology research and development, andhuman resources training.
The centre is operating effectively,contributing to the improvement of environment and conservation of biodiversityand ecosystem in Ha Long Bay, he said.
At the conference, participants discussed anumber of measures to promote green growth and sustainable environmentaldevelopment in Ha Long Bay and neighbouring areas.
The JICA called on relevant agencies tostrengthen environmental management activities in the next phase of theproject, including making effective use of environmental protection funds,implementing regulations on pollution control, promoting ecotourism, andexpanding the model of recycling organic waste.
Within the framework of the project, Quang Ninhand Shiga signed a memorandum of understanding on cooperation to developeconomy and environment.
Ha Long Bay is a must-see destination in QuangNinh province for almost all the tourists. It was recognised as a UNESCO WorldHeritage Site in 1994 and 2000.
So far thisyear, Ha Long Bay has gained a lot of global titles. In July, the baywas listed among the world’s most beautiful sunrise spots by the MicrosoftNetwork (MSN).
In August, British travel magazine Rough Guidesincluded Ha Long Bay in its selection of the 100 most beautiful places tovisit next year.
In the Rough Guides to the 100 Best Places onEarth, the magazine describes “the scattering of limestone pinnacles juttingout of the smooth waters of Ha Long Bay”, around four hours east of Hanoi, asan “incredible sight”. The bay was the only Vietnamese destination in the list.
In September, Ha Long Bay was named as one ofthe most popular attractions in Asia, according to the South China Morning Post(SCMP) based in Hong Kong.
Around 5.2 million foreigners visited Ha LongBay in 2018, up 22 percent from a year ago, accounting for 30 percent of the15.6 million foreign tourist arrivals to Vietnam./.