QUẢNG NINH PROVINCE, VIETNAM – In a significant move to enhance management efficiency and accelerate digital transformation efforts, authorities in Quảng Ninh province have mandated that all visitors purchasing tickets to the world-renowned Ha Long Bay must provide detailed personal identification information. This includes supplying either a Citizen ID number or passport details for the purpose of creating a comprehensive digitalized database.
Effective December 10, 2025, travel agencies, tour operators, and ticket vendors operating within the Ha Long Bay tourism sphere are required to implement a more rigorous and detailed process for collecting tourist information. This stringent requirement comes directly from the Management Board of the Ha Long Bay – Yen Tu World Heritage Site.
This regulatory update is not merely an administrative adjustment; it represents a crucial step towards modernizing the management framework of this UNESCO World Heritage Site. The primary objectives are twofold: strengthen public security management and promote comprehensive digital transformation across all aspects of tourism operations.
The new regulation clearly delineates the required documentation based on the visitor’s nationality:
- For Vietnamese Citizens: Visitors are required to present and have their Citizen ID card (Căn cước công dân) information recorded. For minors or citizens who have not yet reached the age to be issued a Citizen ID card, their personal identification code (mã định danh cá nhân), which is uniquely assigned to every citizen, must be provided instead.
- For International Visitors: Foreign tourists must provide their passport information (including the full number) and their nationality.
Recognizing that not all visitors possess standard identification, the regulation makes special provisions for children or individuals who do not yet meet the conditions for receiving official papers. In such cases, the full details of the legal guardian or guarantor must be submitted. This crucial counter-verification information includes:
- The full name of the guardian/guarantor.
- Their own Citizen ID/Passport number.
- A verifiable contact phone number.
This information is essential for cross-referencing and ensuring the safety and accountability of all visitors entering the bay’s waters.
The mandatory identification documents must be presented and their details submitted to the designated personnel. This includes the staff responsible for ticket sales and control/check-in procedures at the main departure points: the Ha Long International Passenger Port and the Tuan Chau International Passenger Port.
This standardized process at the ports is designed to ensure that the digital record-keeping system captures accurate information before any vessel departs for the bay tour, effectively closing potential administrative gaps.
The Management Board of the Ha Long Bay – Yen Tu World Heritage Site has issued a strong statement reassuring the public about the handling of the sensitive data. They unequivocally affirm that all collected personal information will be used exclusively for the management of tourism activities on Ha Long Bay, strictly adhering to current government regulations.
Furthermore, the Management Board has publicly committed to guaranteeing the security and safety of the data and rigorously protecting the privacy rights of all tourists. The data will not be used for commercial solicitation or unauthorized purposes.
A representative for the Management Board elaborated on the long-term vision behind this policy. The current data collection is viewed as a foundational step to elevate the effectiveness of state management over tourism and to progressively establish a synchronized, comprehensive database.
This digital infrastructure is crucial for realizing the broader goal of full digital transformation. The ultimate benchmark for this project is set for January 1, 2026, by which time the authorities aim to have fully completed the data collection process and implemented advanced information technology applications across the entire ticketing and management operations. This transformation is expected to lead to smoother, safer, and more efficiently managed visits to this globally cherished natural wonder.
(According to VnExpress)
