QUẢNG NINH — The first-ever Halong Sailing Festival will be held at the Tuần Châu Port in Quảng Ninh Province from December 15 to 19, featuring teams from Malaysia, Thailand, Singapore, Japan, the Republic of Korea, Chinese Taipei and the Philippines.

It will be the first event of its kind held in Hạ Long Bay, a renowned World UNESCO Heritage site.

The event is expected to attract 12 teams, five from Việt Nam and seven from abroad, along with international referees and experts.

Hạ Long Bay boasts a unique seascape of islands and islets along with an increasingly developed tourism infrastructure and service sector, while Quảng Ninh possesses favourable conditions for the growth of sailing.

The sport not only demands technical skill, tactical acumen and teamwork, but also embodies a spirit of exploration, a rich maritime culture and a lifestyle deeply connected to the sea.

Offering distinct advantages for recreational sailing, the bay is sheltered by mountain ranges both offshore and along the coast, creating a very safe environment for maritime activities.

The first festival aims to showcase Hạ Long Bay's maritime tourism potential and establish the region as an international sailing venue. It is also an attempt to make Quảng Ninh a destination for major international events in the near future.

Nguyễn Thanh Tùng, deputy director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the sailing festival is a huge opportunity for Quảng Ninh to develop sport tourism products.

If successful, the festival will become a key draw for visitors at the end of the year, which is typically the low season for tourism in the coastal province.

Tùng said the sailing event would help Quảng Ninh expand its market and boost tourists' spending. In addition to its reputation as a tourist destination, Hạ Long would also make a strong impression in the international maritime sporting community.

While in Quảng Ninh, visitors will be able take part in sport, tour the heritage site, relax on the beach, experience local culture and cuisine and participate in international exchange activities.

Việt Nam's Hạ Long Bay team won the global Clipper Round the World Yacht Race in the 2023-24 season. This achievement gave Hạ Long a name in the international sailing community, a strong base to help establish the bay as maritime and beach sport destination.

Following that success, the Halong Sailing Festival 2026 is expected to help Hạ Long Bay and the rest of Quảng Ninh gain recognition as potential hosts for other major events.

Lê Tiến Dũng, representative of the Tuần Châu International Passenger Port Joint Stock Company and member of the Seanata Vietnam team, said his company would work with relevant units and local authorities to organise annual events, aiming to host the World Sailing Championship in 2030. — VNS