On March 13, USAID and the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) organised the Ha Long-Cat Ba Alliance’s fifth Leadership Committee meeting in Ha Long City to discuss how to attract private investment to a wastewater collection and treatment system tailored for the 500+ cruise boats that operate in Ha Long Bay and the Cat Ba Archipelago. In coordination with the Leadership Committee meeting, 30 journalists participated in a media training and press trip to Ha Long Bay and Cat Ba Island to learn about their outstanding geological and biodiversity values, as well as how to better report on environmental issues in print, television, and online media. The alliance was established in 2014 with USAID support to preserve and protect Ha Long Bay and the Cat Ba Archipelago. In 2015, the alliance formed a business-led Leadership Committee to address environmental challenges caused from cruise boat operation, and advise UNESCO on the proposed addition of the Cat Ba Archipelago to the Ha Long Bay World Heritage Site.

So What? Ha Long Bay is Vietnam’s top tourist destination with over 4 million visitors each year. As these numbers continue to increase, journalists and the private sector have an important role to play in promoting conservation and protecting the World Heritage Site.