New wonder of the world demands a new premium

 

Indeed, be prepared to shed down a major amount of cash, since the authority governing the tourist site has decided to increase the price of tours by at least 100%. Routes are also no longer combined, and travelers will be charged separately for each, which brings the price in some instances up as much as 300%. The gain will likely soon reflect in the change in price of whole packaged tours, albeit not as much as double fold.

 

 

Ha Long - one of the Seven Natural Wonders of The World

 

The decision to increase price caught many tour operators and tourists alike, off-guard. It was in effect starting December 1st. No earlier announcement was made prior to the change, in a move that infuriated many. Observers claim that there would be no change in the quality of services despite the hefty increase in prices.

 

Officials have defended the decision, saying that the newly acclaimed “natural wonder of the world” deserved “higher class” travelers, and more money is needed for the preservation of the area. No word on specific course of said preservation has yet been announced, but environmentalists have indeed long voiced concern of the havoc unregulated tourism activities wreaked on the entire bay.

 

 

Cruise - a great way to enjoy the beauty of Ha Long Bay

 

Ha Long Bay, already on the list of UNESCO’s world heritage sites, was recently announced winner in the publicly-chosen list of “7 new wonders of the world”. The voting was sponsored by New Open World Corporation, a private NGO headed by Swiss Barnard Weber. UNESCO, even though trying to stay off what it classified as “a private undertaking”, maintained a generally skeptical view of the competition. Some NOWC earlier undertakings had attracted downright criticisms from the UN cultural organization.