A seminar was held in Hanoi on July 19 to seek solutions to dealing with the influx of tourist arrivals in Hanoi, particularly those from China.

According to the municipal Department of Tourism, the number of foreign tourists to Hanoi surpassed 2 million in the first half of this year, marking a dramatic year-on-year increase of 33 percent.

Nguyen Dao Dung, deputy head of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism’s Travel Department, said the city’s tourism sector needs to actively increase inspection to prevent unexpected incidents.

Chairman of the Vietnam Tourism Association Vu The Binh called for closely managing travel company operators and tour guides, while head of the Hanoi Public Security’s immigration management office Le Manh Tu asked tour operators to alert the police immediately in case of any abnormal occurrence.

Chairman of the municipal People’s Committee Nguyen Duc Chung requested that violations be seriously punished, including the involvement of unregistered foreigners in the tourism business, and the distortion of Vietnam’s history and culture by foreigners who work illegally as tour guides.

The municipal authorities also asked the Tourism Department to propose measures ensuring the legitimate interests of Chinese visitors, while deporting and banning foreigners from entering the country if they are found working as tour guides illegally.

VNA