The Quang Ninh provincial tourist service on March 7 welcomed 1,700 international tourists on board the Oriana Ship cruising down Ha Long Bay, a World Heritage Site.

The luxury cruise ship with around-the-world itineries stopped over at the Vietnamese tourist attraction for the first time.

Tourists, mostly from Great Britain, joined tours of Ha Long Bay, the nearby Dong Trieu traditional craft village and Truc Lam-Yen Tu Buddist Institute, on their one-day stay.

"Oriana" has added to the fame of the spectacular coastal destination, following the presence of a number of international cruise ships such as Costa Allegra and Star Cruise.

The provincial tourist industry is investing in several new tourist sites, including areas for eco-tourism, which include caves and islands, a site of historic interest and a preserved ancient town.

Quang Ninh province has welcomed over 742,000 tourists, including 243,000 foreign arrivals, over the past two months, presenting respective increases of 12 percent and 56 percent, year on year.

(Source: VNA)