Paving the way for cruise tourism development

On the morning of October 30, at Champa Island Nha Trang, the People's Committee of Khanh Hoa Province, in coordination with the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, organized an international workshop on cruise tourism development in Khanh Hoa. The workshop aimed to seek solutions to make the province an attractive destination for international cruise lines, prolong visitors' length of stay, and increase tourist spending. 

Attending the workshop were comrades: Nguyen Long Bien - Member of the Standing Committee of the Provincial Party Committee, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee; Ha Van Sieu - Deputy Director General of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism; Nguyen Van Hoa - Permanent Deputy Head of the Provincial Party Committee's Commission for Information and Education; leaders of provincial departments and sectors; domestic and international experts; and representatives of cruise lines, seaport enterprises, and travel agencies.

Many advantages for development 

Speaking at the workshop, Comrade Nguyen Long Bien emphasized that developing cruise tourism is of particular importance in the strategy to build Khanh Hoa into a national and international tourism center, making tourism truly a spearhead economic sector. Based on the Provincial Tourism Development Strategy for the 2026 - 2030 period, with an orientation toward 2045, and Resolution No. 14 dated May 14, 2026 of the Provincial Party Executive Committee, the province determined the need to more effectively exploit the advantages of seas, islands, natural landscapes, and cultural and historical values. Khanh Hoa boasts outstanding advantages in terms of bays, seas, islands, climate, high-end resort services, entertainment, and cultural experiences. Along with Cam Ranh International Port and Ana Marina Nha Trang, the province possesses the foundation to develop products and services catering to cruise tourists, strengthening connectivity with domestic and international maritime tourism routes. However, advantages in resources and geographical location are merely initial conditions. To be regularly selected by cruise lines, the destination must synchronously meet multiple criteria, from port infrastructure to accommodate ships, rapid and safe embarkation and disembarkation procedures, and transportation and sightseeing services, to distinctive products and a civilized, friendly tourism environment.

At the workshop, many delegates and speakers highly appreciated Khanh Hoa's potential and advantages in cruise tourism. During the first 9 months of 2026, Khanh Hoa welcomed nearly 70,000 cruise passenger arrivals, higher than the entirety of 2025. From having no overnight cruise ships, the province has welcomed 10 overnight anchored ships since the beginning of the year. This result shows that cruise tourism is recovering strongly, while also setting requirements to improve reception capacity and service quality. According to Ha Van Sieu, Deputy Director of the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism, Khanh Hoa possesses a system of sea bays, deep-water ports, Cam Ranh International Airport, the tourist city of Nha Trang, along with rich cultural and ecological resources. In particular, the intersection of Kinh, Cham, and Raglai cultures, along with heritage sites, craft villages, festivals, and cuisine, provides a foundation for the province to build distinctive experiences that go beyond ordinary sightseeing tours. The most important thing is to turn potential into competitive capacity, maritime advantages into economic value, and ship port calls into development opportunities for businesses and local people, while preserving marine resources, cultural heritage, and the environment for the long term.

Towards an international cruise tourism gateway

Representatives of units specializing in receiving cruise tourists highly appreciated the vessel reception conditions of Cam Ranh International Port and the flexibility of the port management unit. However, transporting tourists for sightseeing still faces difficulties due to the relatively long distance to Nha Trang, inconvenient traffic, lack of parking lots, and road closures. In addition, there are not many attractions, and souvenirs with local identity are still lacking. Therefore, although located in the center of the maritime route connecting the largest cruise tourism hubs in Asia (from Singapore, Malaysia, and Thailand to Hong Kong (China), Japan, and South Korea), Khanh Hoa is still mainly a secondary port of call on international voyages. Mr. Phan Xuan Anh - Chairman of the Board of Directors of Du Ngoan Viet Company suggested that Khanh Hoa should soon have a dedicated port for cruise ships; exploit more local cultural values such as Cham culture, the Cai River Nha Trang space, and stories associated with Dr. Alexandre Yersin to create distinctive products; and invest more in souvenir designs.

Lieutenant Colonel Dang Anh Diep - Director of Tan Cang - Petro Cam Ranh Co., Ltd. (the management and operation unit of Cam Ranh International Port) considered that the capacity to receive large vessels is only a necessary condition, while the decisive factors are service quality, connectivity, and the overall passenger experience. The port is aiming toward an air - cruise combination model and becoming a logistics hub for shipping lines in the region. Lieutenant Colonel Dang Anh Diep recommended that the province assign the tourism agency as the coordinating focal point to develop a joint destination promotional dossier, while also requesting functional agencies to expedite procedures so that transit passengers can transfer conveniently from the airport to the ship.

At the two dialogue sessions “From ship reception port to international cruise tourism gateway” and “From sightseeing to destination experience journey”, opinions focused on improving tourists' experience throughout the journey, from docking, going through procedures, and disembarking to sightseeing, shopping, and dining; while also offering suggestions regarding seaport infrastructure, immigration procedures, linkages among ports, cruise lines, and travel agencies, and human resource training. According to Mr. Nguyen Quang Thang - Standing Vice President of the Khanh Hoa Tourism Association, cruise tourism may not yet bring major economic efficiency, but it has great value in promoting Khanh Hoa's image, so the province needs a plan to promote and attract infrastructure investment.

Comrade Ha Van Sieu stated that Khanh Hoa needs to concretize the goal of developing a cruise tourism center into an action program with a clear focus, roadmap, and responsibilities. In the 2026 - 2030 period, the province needs to prioritize improving visitor service capacity, perfecting transport connectivity, developing specialized products, and expanding relations with international cruise lines. The province also needs to study and call for investment to upgrade seaport infrastructure, systematically aiming to become a homeport for international cruise voyages; while simultaneously developing pre- and post-cruise tour packages, creating favorable conditions for small businesses and the local community to participate in the supply chain. Effectiveness should be measured not only by the number of cruise ships or visitor volume, but also by spending levels, the quality of experiences, and tangible benefits at the destination; the environment, landscape, and heritage must not be traded off for short-term growth. 

In his closing remarks at the workshop, Comrade Nguyen Long Bien affirmed that, to develop cruise tourism sustainably, Khanh Hoa needs not only to leverage its advantages in landscape and geographical location but also to build a synchronized, professional service system with regional competitiveness. He assigned the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to take the lead and coordinate with the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism and relevant agencies to synthesize opinions and recommendations from the workshop, and advise the Provincial People's Committee on specific tasks and solutions with a clear roadmap; he also urged the Khanh Hoa Tourism Association and the business community to proactively develop quality cruise tourism products with distinct identities.

XUAN THANH