The ship initially departed from Yokohama Port in Japan and is heading to a number of ports and tourist destinations, including Ha Long city in Vietnam.

Upon the ship’s arrival in the Vietnamese locality, Quang Ninh province organised a welcoming ceremony for foreign tourists with a lion dance performance and flower presentations.

Addressing the event, Nguyen Thi Hanh, vice chairwoman of the Quang Ninh provincial People’s Committee, noted said this was the first Japanese cruise ship to make the trip to locality, marking a milestone for the local tourism industry which aim to receive the largest number of cruise ships in Vietnam this year.

Hiraizumi Shiori of Shizuoka City in Japan shared that Vietnamese landscapes were beautiful and local people were very friendly and thoughtfully. She also expressed hope that she would visit many scenery spots and discover more about the country’s culture and cuisine during that occasion.

The tourists took a city tour, and visited the UNESCO-recognised World Natural Heritage site of Ha Long Bay, Quang Ninh Museum, and Ha Long market.

So far, Quang Ninh has welcomed 28 cruise ships carrying more than 41,100 foreign tourists. This success results from proactive collaboration between the local tourism sector and cruise lines, along with updated policies that facilitate the arrival of this special tourist segment.

In the coming years, the number of cruise visitors to Ha Long is projected to grow by 15–20%, with the continued presence of major cruise lines.

Quang Ninh targets to become leading global tourism hub by 2045

The northern province of Quang Ninh is aiming to position itself as a premier international tourism hub and one of Asia’s top travel destinations, under a newly-approved tourism development scheme to 2030, with a vision to 2045.