Ha Long Bay - Cat Ba Archipelago

• Identity, social cohesion, changes in local population and community (Population growth)
• Impacts of tourism / visitor / recreation
• Housing
• Industrial areas
• Financial and human resources
• Management systems / management plan

Total amount provided to the property (recently): USD 100,000 under the Youth Volunteers for Cultural Heritage Preservation project (2003-2006); USD 519,000 for Cua Van Floating Cultural Centre, a component of the Ha Long Eco-museum (funded by the Government of Norway, for the period of 2003-2006).

The 2018 IUCN Advisory mission to the property concluded that the overall management was satisfactory with regard to the conservation of biodiversity but not in relation to the property’s Outstanding Universal Value (OUV). It raised concerns over the visual and physical impacts of waste and the growing number of visitors to the property. These concerns were also noted by the World Heritage Centre during a visit to the property in 2018 and 2019. Furthermore, in the spring of 2019, the World Heritage Centre received third-party information related to waste management and the quality of visitor experience and shared this with the State Party on 15 April 2019.

In light of the above, upon the request of the World Heritage Centre, the State Party submitted a report on the state of conservation of the property on 26 December 2019, which is available at http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/672/documents/ and presents the following information:

• The management and policies concerning the property have been strengthened through the adoption of the 2017 National Decree on the protection of World Heritage, implementation of the Management Plan (2017-2021) and the establishment of a Ha Long Bay Management Unit, working in close cooperation with provincial and local authorities. A new plan for the management, conservation and tourism development of the property until 2030 and a vision towards 2050 are currently under development;
• Socio-economic activities at the property are closely monitored and strictly managed, including the relocation of fishing villages;
• Reinforcement of wastewater management measures for coal and tourism industries are applied through the introduction of the new Jokaso wastewater management system and a quarterly monitoring of water quality at 41 locations on Ha Long Bay. All wastewater from tourist boats operating within the property is expected to be treated by 2021, and by 2030, all cement factories along the coast of the Bay will be closed and mining operations terminated;
• Solid waste collection is improved by reducing plastic waste and prioritizing collection along the coast and discharge points, as well as general recycling efforts;
• Visitor numbers to the property increased from 3,924,043 in 2017 to 4,062,215 by November 2019, while the number of tourist boats has reduced slightly from 533 in 2016 to 505 in 2019 by increasing the capacity of the boats. New sightseeing routes and infrastructure as well as a long-term booking system are under development to manage the increasing tourism. A carrying capacity study for the property will begin in 2020, which will feed into adapting the tourism management strategy. A new “Green Sail” initiative has been introduced to encourage tourism operators to meet environmental standards;
• Implementation of several projects to improve management and protection of the property, including an International Assistance project to evaluate management effectiveness. The State Party further requested to receive support from the World Heritage Sustainable Tourism Programme to improve tourism management and proceed with a carrying capacity assessment.

The State Party demonstrated its awareness and reactivity to the issues raised by the 2018 IUCN Advisory mission, notably through the adoption of legal and policy tools such as the 2017 Decree, the on-going development of the Management Plan and the reinforcement of the Management Unit, all of which are welcome. The elaboration of a new plan for the management, conservation, and tourism development of the property until 2030, and with a vision towards 2050, is also noted.

The introduction of new measures for wastewater and solid waste management, and the State Party’s intention to further upscale these efforts, including the closure of industrial operations and mines alongside the property, are welcomed. It is important that these measures are fully implemented and that impacts on water quality and other environmental attributes of the property are continuously monitored over an extended period. However, noting that the closure of the coal mines and cement factories is not expected to take place until 2030, and bearing in mind that the 2018 mission expressed considerable concerns over the release of wastewater from mines directly into the river, there is an urgent need to install wastewater treatment stations for these mines.

While acknowledging the achievements and efforts of the State Party to implement the 2018 mission recommendations on environmental management, the 2019 International Assistance project evaluated the management effectiveness of the property and highlighted continued concerns over possible threats and pressures on the OUV and related values of the property. In particular, industrial development activities within the biophysical catchment area, along the mainland foreshore to the north of the Bai Chay Bridge and the six rivers to the north of the Bridge, have been identified as potential risk vectors, notably due to additional nutrient and other contamination of the Bay’s ecosystem, and should be controlled using a holistic ecosystem approach.

Tourism management and its harmonization with the protection of the property’s OUV remains a challenge, given the continued growth of visitor numbers. The measures introduced by the State Party to provide a higher-quality experience, upgrade infrastructure and enhance security measures and environmental considerations, rather than increasing vessel numbers, is positive. However, an integrated vision to manage tourism-related impacts is strongly needed.  The State Party is therefore encouraged to seek advice from the World Heritage Tourism Programme (https://whc.unesco.org/en/tourism/) and prepare a Sustainable Tourism and Development Strategy for the property.

The expansion of new infrastructures and tourist facilities is visibly compromising the broader landscape values, notably the hotels and holiday accommodations close to the property. Strategic planning is required to avoid overcrowding inside and in the vicinity of the property and to regulate multi-sectoral activities, which should be reflected in the Management Plan and supported by an effective governance mechanism. Planned measures such as the carrying capacity study on sightseeing routes within the property are welcomed and should support the revision of the management strategy, which should be fully implemented and respected by all stakeholders. 

As the State Party plans to expand the property to include the Cat Ba archipelago, it will be critical to give due consideration to the entire catchment management, using an ecosystem-based approach. The current buffer zone is not clear in relation to the existing industrial activities, and it is recommended that the Committee request the State Party to submit to the World Heritage Centre a map with the current boundaries of the property and its buffer zone, with clear indications of industrial areas as well as details on the use and management regime within the buffer zone.