Earlier, Oxalis Company submitted document to terminate their co-operation with the Quang Binh Provincial People's Committee and the Management Board of the Phong Nha - Ke Bang National Park starting from this May to avoid losses.

"After news that Oxalis wants to stop operating the tours to Hang Va caves spread, many companies have expressed desire to take over. We'll tender for the rights to open the tours," said Le Thanh Tinh.

The park's management board is creating a bidding plan to submit to the provincial authorities.

Va Cave. Photo: Oxalis

In last October, Quang Binh Provincial People's Council issued new regulations that raised the environmental and management fees the company must pay to the authorities and the park's management board.

According to the new regulations, Oxalis must pay VND300,000 for each tourist with one-day tour and VND1 million for each tourist with two-day and a night tour as of January 1st of 2017.

While the final environmental fee is still being negotiated, Oxalis decided to end the contract as they would incur losses. Oxalis operated the tours to Hang Va caves since 2015 and received 700 to 800 visitors a year.
Mr. Le Thanh Tinh went on to say that there was a lack of competition in tour operation so the fees that firms paid to the government didn't reflect the market.

Phong Nha-Ke Bang Park is famous for the hundreds of cave systems that are suitable for various types of tours. As sea tourism is facing difficulties from mass fish deaths disaster, Quang Binh now has to depend on cave tourism.

By Nhu Y
(Source: laodong.com.vn)