In the current context of Da Nang’s fast growing tourism industry, the Da Nang government has issued plans to strengthen the management of travel activities and operation of tour guides in a professional manner over the 2019 - 2020 period in order ensure a healthy tourism environment.

It is high time for functional bodies to tighten the management of travel activities and tour guides so as to avoid matters blighting the city’s tourism

Currently, the city is home to 358 travel agencies, of which 112 are domestically and 166 foreign-owned, and 47 are city branches of international ones.

In particular, there are 45 travel agencies exclusively serving Chinese tourists, and 40 others exploiting the South Korean market.

A total of 4,274 licenced tour guides, of whom 3,024 serve international tourists arriving in the city.

Amid the city’s fast growing tourism industry in recent times and an upward trend in the number of so-called zero-dong tours, mostly applied to the Chinese and South Korean tourists, the tourism industry has seen such issues of deep concern as the operation of unlicensed foreign tour guides who spread distorted information about the truth of Viet Nam’s history and its culture, the tax evasion by some shops, and illegal payments in foreign currencies at some stores and tourists-packed areas.

The South Korea and China are now Da Nang’s key international tourist markets, followed by such other countries as Japan, the U.S.A, Thailand, and Malaysia.

Instead of heavily relying on the Chinese and South Korean markets which can lead to certain risks due to their instability, the city’s tourism industry is striving to promote the diversification of its international tourist markets, with heed being paid to attracting more holidaymakers from Western Europe, the U.S.A, Australia, India, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Muslim countries from the Middle East.

In the coming time, the municipal Department of Tourism will effectively promote the development of domestic markets, in tandem with diversifying international ones over the 2019 – 2021 period, and publicising the city-released code of conduct applicable to those in the hospitality and tourism sector.

Importance will be attached to enhancing the performance of Da Nang’s tourism representative offices in South Korea and China to research the feasibility of tourist market promotion programmes, and opening a similar one in Europe. Local travel agencies are required carefully re-check the number of tour bookers, tour guides, and foreign employees working there.

More surveillance cameras will be installed in tourist coaches in order to ensure the safety and effective State management of passengers, drivers, assistant drivers and tour guides. Such cameras will give a clear picture of professionalism or lack thereof displayed by drivers and their assistants, identify whether or not there are unlicensed tour guides working illegally and deter tourists from behaving badly, as well as avoid the spread of distorted information about the truth of Da Nang’s history and its culture, and those of Viet Nam as a whole. These devices also add security to passengers’ belongings as camera footage can be used to investigate any loss, if needed.

Besides, multi-lingual audio guide app in such foreign languages as English, Chinese and South Korean will continue introducing to visitors at local attractions in order to diversify and enhance the quality of guide services.