Quang Ninh establishes Tourism Department

The People's Committee of Quang Ninh Province on May 9 announced the establishment of the provincial Department of Tourism due to the rapid growth of the local tourism sector.
The Department of Tourism was separated from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism without increasing the number of regular officials in the province.
Speaking at the announcement ceremony, Chairman of the provincial People's Committee Nguyen Duc Long said that the establishment of the Tourism Department stems from the fact that Quang Ninh has been regarded as an attractive destination for both domestic and international tourists for years, with a strong increase in the number of visitors and tourism revenue each year.
He noted that the establishment of the Tourism Department aimed to build Quang Ninh into an international tourism centre and a leading tourism centre with diversified tourism products and services, imbued with the cultural identity of local ethnic minority groups.
Quang Ninh has enormous potential for developing tourism with highlights including Ha Long Bay, recognised as a World Natural Heritage by UNESCO; more than 500 national and provincial relic sites; and many tourist urban areas such as Ha Long, Van Dong, and Mong Cai among others.
The province's tourism sector has seen strong development over the past ten years with the number of visitors increasing from 3.1 million in 2006 to 7.5 million in 2014. The province expects to welcome around 10.5 million visitors in 2016.
In 2015, the tourism sector contributed VND1.2 trillion (US$54 million) to the State budget, accounting for nearly 6% of the province’s total revenue.