With spectacular scenery and cool weather all year round, the Central Highlands city of Dalat is a destination of choice for domestic and foreign tourists. The hilly resort city however has recently been tarnished by images of garbage-covered streets, aggressive scenes, tourist harassment and vendor scams.

Tourists enjoy food in front of the Dalat Market 

In recent years, Dalat City has been overwhelmed with a strong upsurge in tourists. Last year saw more than six million visitors coming to the city. The city’s overheated tourism development has stoked concerns that poor tourism services and violence against tourists will discourage tourists from repeating their visits.  

Recently, a Vietnamese American female tourist identified as Do Sophia Thuy who was beaten unconscious and taken to hospital after her complaints about food quality at a local eatery at Dalat Night Market. The incident led to a public uproar.

A group of six tourists from Bien Hoa City in Dong Nai Province, including the Vietnamese American woman, had dinner at the restaurant and gave negative reviews to the restaurant owner over the quality of food. Before leaving the restaurant, one of the group’s members attempted to use her phone to take photos of the restaurant, and a staff member of the restaurant launched an attack on the one who took photographs.

Such attacks are not uncommon in Dalat. Last year a 44-year-old female tourist lost consciousness in an attack by a group of people at a strawberry shop in the city as she returned the products she bought, citing overprices, reports news website Vnexpress.

After the week-long Tet holiday last month, garbage was littered almost everywhere in the city. Nearly 280,000 tourists came to the city during Tet, up 5.7% year-on-year. 

Dalat City has gradually lost its reputation as a top travel destination in Vietnam. Local government and tourism authority need to act to cope with the problems to ensure safety for tourists.

SGT