Quang Ninh Province on February 21 held a welcome ceremony for nearly 400 sailors on 11 sailing yachts from the Clipper Round the World Yacht Race, which recently reached Ha Long City.

The Clipper Round the World Yacht Race 2023-2024 features eight stages, with 16 races and six ocean crossings. Ha Long is included in the fifth stage, called the Asia-Pacific Challenge.

The 11 racing teams have just sailed for 25 days, covering a distance of 4,515 nautical miles. This is the first time the sailing yachts have come to Ha Long Bay.

Speaking at the ceremony, Nguyen Thuy Yen, Deputy Director of the Quang Ninh Department of Tourism, affirmed that the inclusion of Ha Long Bay in the 2023-2024 Clipper Race is a special event and provides an opportunity for Quang Ninh to promote its natural heritage, unique culture, and friendly people to the crew members.

The teams arrived at Ha Long Bay on February 18, and they will have two weeks to visit and participate in various activities in Quang Ninh. They will then set off from Ha Long Bay towards Jiuzhou Port in Zhuhai City, Guangdong Province, China, on March 2.

To mark the occasion, Quang Ninh will organise a series of activities to boost its image and attract investors, including the showcase of OCOP products and local tourism destinations, investment promotion conferences, art performances, and more.