Over recent years, increasing number of foreigners living and working in Da Nang have provided a significant contingent of high skilled, experienced and professional human resources for Da Nang’s progress. However, the city should take some effective ways to tackle some issues of deep concern relating to foreign violators.

Free local tourist attractions are usually added to the so-called “zero dong” tours. Foreign visitors are pictured visiting the Da Nang Cathedral with free admission

In recent times, some tourism service establishments, which are owned by foreigners or recruit foreign employees, have been found violating the provisions stipulated by the Vietnamese Ordinance on Foreign Exchange.

As defined in the Ordinance issued by the Standing Committee of the lawmaking National Assembly, all transactions, payments, price listings and advertisements made in Viet Nam, by either a Vietnamese or foreign national, must be in VND. Exceptions are made only for bank transactions and other specific cases approved by the Prime Minister.

However, many stores and tourists-packed areas across the city still display their services and products, as well as conduct illegal foreign currency transactions and accept payments in foreign currencies.

Da Nang is now seeing an upward trend in the number of so-called zero-dong tours which bring problems rather than benefits for the city as such tours have resulted in the unfair competitive environment between travel businesses, and the low quality of tourism services.

Tour bookers only pay Da Nang-based operators low prices for their package tours in the city. However, when arriving in Da Nang, they are taken to shopping malls and gift shops where they will be persuaded to buy items at inflated prices instead of visiting popular tourist attractions and enjoying high-end accommodation.

The travel agencies and tour guides receive commissions from the shops in a bid to keep offering such tours.

The whole business activity revolving around the ‘zero-dong’ tours leaves little room for travel agencies, while the tourism sector suffers tax collection losses.

According to Deputy Director of the municipal Tourism Department Truong Thi Hong Hanh, since the start of this year, her agency has carried out inspections of a large number of tourism businesses.

As a result, administrative fines totalling more than 550 million VND were imposed on organisations and individuals for violating Viet Nam’s regulations about tourism activities, mainly conducting illegal tour guiding activities in the city.

As of 31 August, 2018, the municipal Taxation Department had discovered 9 cases involving fake tax receipts totaling 4.1 billion VND, and collected a total of 2,125 billion VND in tax arrears and fines from 25 tourism businesses.

Besides, a total of 168.5 million VND in fines had been imposed on violations of the national regulations on goods labeling, pricing and origin tracking.

Amongst the violated tourism businesses were those which are owned either by foreigners or Vietnamese nationals and employee foreign workers.

Since the beginning of this year, functional bodies have also dealt with foreigners violating the traffic safety and security regulations in the city.

The Son Tra District Police have handled cases in which foreigners made disorder, used the flycam devices, and took photos at restricted areas. Also, a total of 44 foreigners have been fined for violating the traffic regulations.

Likewise, the Ngu Hanh Son District Police have detected and arrested 2 Chinese nationals suspected of using high-tech equipment to appropriate assets, apprehended 6 internationally wanted Chinese people for illegal gambling, discovered 79 foreigners for failing to meet the national immigration regulations. 

Especially, between January and September, a total of over 1.4 billion VND have been imposed on 210 foreigners for going against immigration and residence regulations. The majority of the violators colluded with Vietnamese people to illegally operate tours and work as unlicenced tour guides in the city.

According to the national immigration laws, enterprises must seek permission from government bodies before inviting foreigners or guaranteeing their entry into Viet Nam.

In reality, many enterprises merely invite and sponsor foreigners to come and work in Viet Nam without following any regulations whatsoever.