Tourist booths face the axe

HANOI, 24 March 2014: Tourist information booths in Hanoi are under the axe as city authorities decide whether they should demolish or upgrade them eight years after they were introduced.

Hanoi Department of Culture, Sport, and Tourism has submitted a proposal to the municipal administration that runs the booths suggesting they either be dramatically improved or demolised.

The department director, To Van Dong, confirmed it was quite possible all 37 booths would be demolished although a few could survive, but on a much smaller scale.

“If they are upgraded then it would have to be through private company investment,” he said.

The department has carried out a pilot project with smaller booths, one at the Hanoi Opera House, and the other at the garden with the statue of Ly Thai To in Hoan Kiem district.

If the pilot project works all 35 booths could be scaled down, or if not the entire network would be dismantled.

The booths are not attracting enough tourists to justify staff costs and due to popularity of mobile phone apps most tourists have access to more accurate information on their phones. The booths were opened at a time when there were not many tourist related apps on mobile phones and use of Google Maps and TravelAdvisor was not so dominant.

According to the tourism department, the 37 booths were set up in 2006 to provide tourists with free maps, brochures and information on hotels and tour operators. Each of the booths cost US$10,000 to set up, but there are considerable costs involved in staff and printing of materials.

At the time it was hoped the booths could generate business for the enterprises they promoted in order to cover costs. There has also been an acute shortage of staff who could speak a foreign language to communicate with visitors requiring assistance.

Sourced: TravelDailyNews