As previously reported here, Chinese nationals have been working as tour guides for Chinese tour groups visiting Da Nang, even though the city has around 360 Vietnamese guides who speak Chinese.  This contravenes Vietnamese law and is blighting the city’s tourism image.

Mr Tran Chi Cuong, Deputy Director of the Tourism Department, said that the city now has 26 travel agencies which specialise in organising tours for Chinese tourists, and some of them use Chinese nationals to illegally work as tour guides. 

He also raised his concern about the sophistication and complexity of the city-based foreign tourism companies and foreign tour guides because they have been in Viet Nam for a long time and have operated in Ha Noi, Ho Chi Minh City, and Quang Ninh Province for many years.

A local customs officer handling entry procedures for Chinese visitors

In an attempt to deal with the problem which is causing great concern, municipal People’s Committee Vice Chairman Dang Viet Dung recently asked the Department of Tourism and the city’s Tourguides’ Club to recheck the performance of the Chinese-speaking Vietnamese tour guides. 

The local Tourism Association will set up specific operational criteria for local travel agencies and require them to obey their commitments.  The city’s tourism sector will also set up an information exchange channel to receive any complaints or information from the local Chinese-speaking tour guides. 

A meeting for local tourism businesses will be organised soon to encourage them to keep a healthy tourism environment.  The final sanction would be to revoke the business licence of any travel agency found to be operating illegal tourism activities.

In addition, local relevant agencies will recheck the quality of tourism services and the sale of products at displayed prices, as well as stop the harassment of tourists.  The city’s Police Department will tighten their management of tourism companies and ex-pats who are living in their localities.

Some representatives of local travel agencies have offered suggestions to promote the efficiency of the city’s tourism and improve its image in the eyes of foreign tourists.

Deputy Director of the city's branches of the Saigontourist company, Mr Tran Luc, said the focus should be on ensuring fair competition amongst local travel agencies.

A representative from the company Tam Long Chau A Trade and Tourism said, “The domestic tourism sector is not paying enough attention to ensuring the quality of their services for customers.  This causes negative effects on the tourism image of Da Nang, and that of Viet Nam as a whole.  All local travel agencies should join efforts to set up floor tour prices for their customers.  Also, the city authorities should take more effective measures to help local businesses operate more effectively”.

The Deputy Director of the Department of Tourism, Mr Tran Chi Cuong, remarked “My unit is always willing to grant business certificates to newly-established travel agencies, but those who operate illegally will have their certificates revoked.  All local tourism businesses are required to comply with the national regulations about tourism activities”.