The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism and the Danang Department of Tourism on October 15 launched a campaign encouraging students to serve as volunteers at tourist attractions.

Tour guides on duty at Danang Cathedral and Rooster Church in Danang City

The organizing board will provide participating students with a training course. These students will be equipped with soft skills, as well as adequate knowledge of the culture and history of the country and the Vietnamese people and information on tourist destinations before becoming eligible to guide visitors.

Following the training period, they will be contacted by the administration of tourism with a proposal to join volunteer groups working at tourism attractions. The activities are aimed at supporting both tourists and travel firms.

Bui Kim Luan, vice dean of the Faculty of Hospitality & Tourism at Duy Tan University, claimed that the greatest challenge being faced by students was the shortage of experience and necessary skills and professionalism. These students, therefore, only partly support tourism units.

“However, these students will gain the essential knowledge and skills and chances to practice in the tourism environment after the course,” Luan said.

The number of tourists, typically international arrivals, in Danang City is on the rise. As such, in addition to professional tour guides, the city needs a team of volunteers to serve travelers. Danang is currently home to three universities with a tourism department and a series of colleges and professional centers, able to supply a large team of volunteers for the tourism sector in the city.

The students’ knowledge and skills have yet to be reviewed. Meanwhile, the campaign, considered an opportunity for students to work as volunteers for tourist attractions, has drawn a lot of interest and support.

SGT