1

Situation Analysis on the Water Quality of Ha Long Bay

A social study from tourism businesses ’ perspectives

Le Tuan Anh PhD.

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Agenda

• Overview of Ha Long Bay• Research Objectives• Methods• Findings• Recommendations• Questions & Answers

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Overview of Ha Long Bay

• Dual role as a tourist destination and an industrial and shipping centre

• Over development of tourism

• Limited authority and decision making power

-> water contamination, solid waste accumulation, and large-scale damage to both species and ecosystems.

-> ‘Save the Bay program’

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Research Objectives

• Relevance of program objectives• Situation analysis on water quality with focus

on impacts from tourism• Public Private relationship and willingness• Recommendations for project interventions

(2015-2017)

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Methods

• Qualitative approach– Review of relevant projects, plans and reports

– Interviews relevant stakeholders

• Quantitative approach– Survey of 4 tourism supplier groups of 208

• 29 cruise managers

• 114 captains

• 49 accommodation managers, and

• 16 restaurant managers

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Qualitative Findings

• Improvement on environment quality (IUCN 2013)

• 2013: 2.55 million tourists (35% domestic, 65% international) (HLBM report, 2014)

• Revenue from entrance tickets of about US$10 millions

• Environment quality is crucial factors (ERST, 2014)

• Master plan in tourism to 2020 with vision 2030

• Master plan in environment -> Europe water quality standard by 2020

• Quarterly water quality monitoring

• Local authority support to protect environment

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Qualitative Findings

• Over carrying capacity e.g. 5,500/day at Thien Cung and Dau Go (HLBM, 2009)

• Increasing negative environmental impacts on coastal area and on the bay (JICA, 2013)

• Tourist discharges about 0.5 kg of solid waste and 100 liters of wastewater per trip (JICA, 2013)

• Boats increased 1.6 time from 329 (2006) to 527 (2014); 30% (167 overnight boats)

• Tourism pressure as a major factor affecting the universal value of the site in addition to industrial development, population growth, aquaculture and fishing (IUCN, 2013)

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Qualitative Findings

• Ha Long Bay rated lowest on the criteria of environmental friendly destination (M=4.4) and on overall evaluation (M=4.8) among 5 destinations (Sa Pa, Ha Long, Hue, Da Nang and Hoi An) (ESRT, 2014)

• 17% of international and 15% of national showed their serious concern about the environment in the destinations of Ha Long

• Of the total 2,373 reviews of Ha Long Bay as an attraction from Jan 01 to July 16, 2014, a total of 51 (2.15%) reviews classified the attraction as ‘terrible’ while 80 (3.37%) classified their experience as ‘poor’. (Tripadvisor 2014)

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Qualitative Findings

• Sources of pollution mainly from coastal areas and buffer zone e.g. state- owned enterprises and socio-economic organizations

• Low local awareness on environment protection

• Ha Long waste treatment capacity does not meet the growth -> discharge in to the sea

• Sewage discharge into the sea without treatment

• No collection points and treatment of sewage and black water

• Oil pollution at Bai Chay harbor (0.23mg/l in 4/2013) (HLBM 2013)

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Quantitative findings

• General information• Perception on water quality• Environmental impacts• Public private relationship

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General information

• Expected guests in 2015 vs. 2014: Increase

• Average guest night: cruise/hotel (1.36/1.34)

• Average occupancy rate: cruise/hotel (66%/ 44%)

• Main markets: Europe, NEA, SEA and Domestic

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Perception on water quality

• Impression of the water quality over the past 5 years

• Observation of current water quality

• Describe the physical evidence

• The most polluted areas (on map)

• Main sources of pollutions

• Influence of water quality on tourist experience

• Responsibility on water quality protection

• Involvement in environmental protection initiative

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Much im-

proved

Improved Unchanged Worse Much worse0.0%

5.0%

10.0%

15.0%

20.0%

25.0%

30.0%

35.0%

40.0%

45.0%

10.6%

40.4%

18.3%

24.0%

6.7%

Heavily polluted Some pollution Good Very good0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

5.8%

63.0%

30.8%

0.5%

Impression of the water quality over the past 5 years

Observation of current water quality

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Impression of the water quality over the past 5 years

Observation of current water quality

Heavily polluted Some pollution Good Very good0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

Owner CaptainAccomodation Restaurant

Much im-

proved

Improved Unchanged Worse Much worse0%5%

10%15%20%25%30%35%40%45%50%

Owner CaptainAccomodation Restaurant

15

Change of color Dead fish Rubbish floating Unpleasant smell0.0%

10.0%

20.0%

30.0%

40.0%

50.0%

60.0%

70.0%

33.7%

5.3%

63.5%

14.4%

Physial evidence

Owner Captain Accomodation Restaurant0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

62%68%

61%

44%

Change of color Dead fish Rubbish floating Unpleasant smell

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Polluted areas

21% Bai Chay coastal area

14% Bai Chay habour

7% Thien Cung - Dau Go caves

7% Amazing cave

5% Three caves

5% Fishing village

4% Titop3% Luon cave

2% Cai Lan Industrial Area

2% Doan habour

30% Other areas

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Main sources of pollutions

Coal mining

Fishing a

ctiviti

es

Commercial

ship ro

ute

Hotels a

nd resta

urants

on shore

Residen

ts on floati

ng villa

ges

Residen

ts on sh

ore

Touris

t acti

vities

on islan

ds/cav

es

Touris

t boats

/cruise

Other0%

5%

10%

15%

20%

25%

30%

35%

40%

45%

50%

38%

13%

23%

27%

43%

27%

35%

22%

10%

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Main sources of pollutions

Coal mining

Fishing a

ctiviti

es

Commercial

ship ro

ute

Hotels a

nd resta

urants

on shore

Residen

ts on floati

ng villa

ges

Residen

ts on sh

ore

Touris

t acti

vities

on islan

ds/cav

es

Touris

t boats

/cruise

Other0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

Owner Captain Accomodation Restaurant

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Water quality and tourist experience

All

Owner

Captain

Accomodation

Restaurant

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

Not important Neutral Important Very important

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Responsibility on water quality protection

Boat owners Hotels and restaurants on

shore

Provincial and local authorities

Residents in floating villages

Tourists Other (everyone)0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

AllOwnerCaptainAccomodationRestaurant

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Involvement in environmental protection

• Participate JICA project

• Environment monitoring

• Collect rubbish with tourists

• For a green Ha Long

• Installed oil separator

• Awareness raising

• Water saving in hotel

• Waste collection at coastal swimming area

• Etc…

N= 94

Yes; 61%

No; 39%

Owner Accomodation Restaurant0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

100%

NoYes

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Environmental Impacts(114 Cruise Boat Captains)

• Average volume of solid waste produced per night

• Measures use to reduce solid waste production

• Average water consumption per night

• Usage of water saving devices/ practices

• Average oiled water production per night

• Management of oily water

• Installed oily water separator and its functioning

• Average sewage production per day-only trip

• Management of sewage

• Management of grey water

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Solid waste production and reduction

• Average volume of 11.3 kg of solid waste produced per night

• Measures use to reduce solid waste production

Waste segregation bins

Replacing individual with bulk dispensers

Replacing single with multiple-use bottles

Recycling paper, cooking oil, etc.

Selling or donating left-over food

Other

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

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Water consumption and reduction

• Average water consumption of 6.4 m3 per night

• Usage of water saving devices/ practices

Auto detect in sinks/urinals

Double flush toilets

Linen and towel re-use cards

Flow restrictors in showers

Low flow taps in sinks

Waterless urinals

Other

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%

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Oiled water production and management

• Average oiled water production of 1.05 m3per trip

• 100% installed oily water separator (82%/18%)

• Installed oily water separator and its functioning

75%

3%

19%

4%

Oil separation and discharge into the BayDump into the Bay without treatmentCarry back to shore Other

34%

48%

18%

Very effectively EffectivelyNot effectivelyDo not use

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Sewage production and management

• Average sewage production of 12.2 m3 per day-only trip

• Management of sewage

77%

3%

20%

Separation and discharge into the BayDump into the Bay without treatmentCarry back to shore Other

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Management of grey water

9%

79%

11%

2%

Dump into the Bay

Processed and dump into the Bay

Carry back to shore

Other

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Public Private Relationship (Cruise, Accommodations, Restaurant)

• Current relationship• Willingness to engage in the Alliance• Factors hindering involvement in the Alliance• Contribution toward water quality

improvement

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Current relationship

• Together with enterprises (2014)

• Monthly and quarterly Public Private Dialogues

• Limited participation from tourism sector

• Empowered tourism association

10%

49%

38%

2% 1%

ExcellentGoodNeutralBadTerrible

Excellent

Good

Neutral

Bad

Terrible

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80%

RestaurantAccomodationOwner

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Willingness to engage in the Alliance

Highly likely Somewhat likely Indifferent Unlikely Very unlikely0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

70%

80%

90%

All Owner Accomodation Restaurant

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Possible hindering factors

Investment Negative experiences Resources Time Unwilling to collaborate Other0%

10%

20%

30%

40%

50%

60%

All Owner Accomodation Restaurant

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Contribution toward water quality improvement

Certification program

Donation in EP fund

Encouragement of employees

Other

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90%100%

Certification program

Donation in EP fund

Encouragement of employees

Other

0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% 80% 90% 100%

Restaurant Accomodation Owner

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Suggestions

• A Ha Long – Cat Ba Alliance as an advisory board for Ha Long/Quang Ninh authority

• Public awareness raising program through engagement of media

• Environment protection fee/fund• Synergy/facilitation of joint activities • Pilot public-private initiatives/activities

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Thank you for your attention

Questions & Answers