Vietnam to strengthen tourism quality

HANOI Vietnam National Administration of Tourism plans to improve the quality of travel operations, tour guides and tourist destinations to make the country more competitive.

Local media quoted VNAT’s deputy general director, Ngo Hoai Chung, saying the country’s tourism sector is enjoying a boom, but development faces challenges in managing travel operations, tour guides and tourist sites.

“This year, the sector will focus on enhancing management of travel operations and tour guides across the country.”

It will focus on organisations and individuals who violate legal regulations related to tour business and tour guiding, in a bid to improve the quality of tourism services.

VNAT has outlined criteria to evaluate Vietnam’s tourist destinations, enhance management and encourage investment to upgrade tourist sites.

The Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism has recently issued a code of conduct for international and local tourists, tour operators and locals at tourism spots.

The etiquette guidebook consists of two chapters with 12 articles, aimed at showing travel agents how to be service-minded and travellers how to behave.

The code of conduct includes rules that tourists should obey such as standing in line and respecting local customs and culture.

In January, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism also released a code of conduct for domestic and foreign tourists, in an effort to improve the reputation of the city.

Last year, similar rules were introduced in other destinations such as Danang and Nha Trang. The capital city of Hanoi and Hoi An heritage town in the central province of Quang Nam have also published codes of conduct.

Vietnam’s tourism sector is targeting 11.5 million international arrivals and 66 million domestic holiday makers in 2017 that will generate an estimated USD20.3 billion.

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