Quang Ninh (VNA) - The northern coastal province of Quang Ninh’s dooris wide open to tourists this summer, with a kaleidoscope of cultural and sportingactivities planned at local tourist attractions.

Eighty-eight tourism stimulus programmes will be implemented around theprovince, with COVID-19 prevention measures put in place to ensure safety forthe whole community.

Vice Chairwoman of the provincial People’s Committee Nguyen Thi Hanh said thatsplendid festive spaces are expected to impress visitors to Quang Ninh.

A highlight will be the “Ha Long, Quang Ninh - Destination of Smiles” event onMay 1, which includes an inaugural ceremony for Hon Gai Beach, the “Ha Long - QuangNinh welcomes Summer 2021” art performance, and a flower festival.

Meanwhile, the Tuan Chau International Resort and Recreation Complex will hostthe inauguration of the Tuan Chau Golf Course and Tuan Chau Sculpture Park, an artsperformance, a low-altitude fireworks display, and a parade, among others.

A wide range of cultural, sports, and tourism activities will be held, such as theTran Quoc Nghien Temple Festival, a photo exhibition, a kite flying contest,street music performances, and a circus performance.

In a bid to cement its dual targets of pandemic prevention and socio-economicdevelopment, Quang Ninh introduced discounted entry fees at a range of localdestinations late last year.

Tickets to Ha Long Bay, the Quang Ninh Museum, and the complex of Yen Tumonuments and landscapes are cut by 50 percent until December 31. Passengers arrivingat Van Don International Airport will receive free round-trip bus transfers toHa Long city and Uong Bi city throughout the year.

Free entry is available at these sites on Hung Kings Commemoration Day (April21), Liberation Day of the Cam Pha Mining Area (April 25), National ReunificationDay (April 30), International Labour Day (May 1), International Children’s Day(June 1), Vietnamese Family Day (June 28), Vietnam Tourism Day (July 9), WarInvalids and Martyrs Day (July 27), the August Revolution (August 19), NationalDay (September 2), Vietnamese Women Day (October 20), Quang Ninh foundinganniversary (October 30), the traditional day for miners and the coal industry(November 12), Vietnamese Teachers’ Day (November 20), and the Vietnam People’sArmy founding anniversary (December 22).

Local authorities and tourism operators have worked together to offerattractive promotions in tourism packages. Notably, the SunGroup has knocked downrates at the Premier Village Halong Bay Resort by 40 percent, offered a 50percent discount at Plumeria Spa, and slashed entry tickets to the Sun World HaLong Complex by 70 percent from March 13 to April 15.

The Tung Lam Development JSC has cut cable car tickets to Dong Pagoda by 30percent until December 31, and the Hai Au Aviation JSC has cut seaplane ticketsat 9am and 4.10pm by 40 percent from Monday to Friday between March 22 and April29.

Quang Ninh sees domestic tourism as a locomotive to maintain the sector’soperations this year, so is promoting tourism links with other localitiesnationwide.

In Q2 and Q3, it plans to organise an array of tourism stimulus cooperationprogrammes in Dien Bien and continue its collaboration with Da Nang city andKhanh Hoa province, home of Nha Trang.

It has also joined hands with Ho Chi Minh City Television and Da NangTelevision to promote its image.

The province expects to welcome 10 million visitors in 2021, becoming the leadingdestination for Vietnamese and international holidaymakers.

Its tourism sector overcame the challenges in 2020 to realise the target ofwelcoming 8.8 million visitors. Tourism revenue was estimated at over 17trillion VND (739.1 million USD), contributing 5.19 percent to the local Statebudget./.