According to the Deputy Director of the municipal Department of Tourism, Mr Tran Chi Cuong, a trade and tourism company based on Tran Phu in Hai Chau District is to be strictly punished for poor management of its foreign customers.

Granted a licence for this type of the service by the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism in December last year, the company organised a package tour for a group of 25 Chinese tourists visiting Da Nang from 12 - 16 June. 

The tourists were caught disturbing public order and burning a 200,000 VND banknote after they insisted on using their yuan currency for services at the TV Club on Nguyen Chi Thanh on June 14.  Destroying a Vietnamese banknote is an illegal act.

After receiving reports about the case, leaders of the Department of Tourism and some members from the municipal Department of Police conducted an investigation.  However, the offending tourists had by then returned to their home country.

The company was found to have no written travel contracts with its Chinese customers, and did not ensure good management over them during their stay in the city.

Under Decree No 158/2013/ND-CP on tourism activities, the company’s licence for international travel services can be invalidated for between 6 and 12 months, and it can be fined up to 30 million VND.  A decision on this company’s exact punishment will be made in the next few days.

Deputy Director Cuong remarked that strict punishments will be given to any travel company which ignores a request by the city authorities to improve their management work, especially over the services it provides to foreign customers.