On January 28th, 2016, representatives of nearly ten international donor agencies gathered in Hanoi in a roundtable meeting on coordination for Vietnam tourism industry. The initiative was led by the Environmentally and Socially Responsible Tourism Capacity Development Programme (known as ESRT Programme) as technical support to Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT).

1. The Ha Long-Cat Ba Alliance
January 2016

2. Facts & figures
• 3 years: April 2014-April 2017
• Ha Long Bay: Vietnam’s leading tourist
attraction; IUCN statutory monitoring role
• IUCN leads business engagement; MCD
community engagement
• Leadership Committee meetings: May and
December 2015
• Quarterly e-newsletter

6. Improved waste water treatment for overnight and day cruise boats
•Decentralized system that documents flows of black, grey, and bilge water would reduce
costs and facilitate compliance
•Would allow government to implement July 2015 bilge water separator regulation
•Technical and financial feasibility study including opportunities for public-private
partnership
•This is necessary before boats can get certified
Day and overnight cruise boats get certified
•Adapt VNAT’s existing Green Lotus standard
•Get Green Lotus accredited with GSTC
•Must devise a standard that encompasses small, medium, and large boats
•Boats that achieve highest levels will be allowed certain privileges, e.g., permission to visit
remoter areas
Establish GSTC-recognized destination certification for HLB-CBA
•Address all sources of pollution: mining, municipal, hotels, boats, etc.
•Renominate HLB WHS to include CBA to ensure consistent management around the
marine ecosystem
•Consistent with Quang Ninh’s Green Growth Strategy and increased reliance on
sustainable tourism

7. Next steps
1. Finalize Green Lotus+ standard and train boat
owners
2. Raise funds and carry out mobile waste water
treatment feasibility study
3. Work with Quang Ninh and Hai Phong on
WHS renomination