VietNamNet Bridge - As soon as TripAdvisor, a popular travel forum, posted information that the Hoi An town government had decided to impose an entrance fee of VND120,000 (about $6) for tourists to step into the ancient town, many foreigners reacted immediately.

An entrance ticket check-point in Hoi An. Photo by Infonet.

Most site members were disappointed and disagreed with the change. Some expressed anger and said they would find other more friendly destinations. Many complained that the fee is too hefty.

Besides expressing their disappointment, visitors who love Hoi An said collecting a fee is not a wise decision, because it will affect the spending of tourists there.

What do Hoi An authorities say about the entrance fees?

According to Hoi An authorities, from April 16, the town began strengthening check over entrance tickets into the ancient town.

Authorities say the decree to require a ticket purchase to visit Hoi An was actually issued in November 2012. But it has not been strictly enforced, resulting in a big loss of revenue for the town.

According to the provisions, tourists must purchase tickets before entering the old town for VND80,000 ($4)  for Vietnamese and VND120,000 ($6) for foreigners. A ticket remains valid for a tourist’s entire length of stay in Hoi An.

Mr. Vo Phung, Director of the Hoi An Culture and Information Centre, says the majority of visitors did not buy entrance tickets, while at the same time local authorities were making enormous investments in various improvements. Money was spent both on historical sites and on the cultural space of the old town, to serve the community. The ticket revenues, he said, will be used to preserve Hoi An, to better serve tourists.

Phung adds that the fee is applied only to tourists. People living in the old town, people from Quang Nam, Da Nang or relatives of local families do not have to purchase tickets.

On the morning of April 22, as observed by reporters at Chua Cau, Hoi An was still crowded with international and domestic visitors, and they were willing to buy entrance tickets.

"It is not true that because of the entrance fees that tourists are threatening to boycott Hoi An, as some websites reported. Every day we sell about 400 tickets at Chua Cau, mainly for individual visitors. Travel firms also buy tickets for tours," says Ms. Le Thi Hoa, from the Hoi An Center for Culture and Information.

Mr. Truong Thanh Lam, from the Hoi An Tourism Guide Office, says the tickets are on sale at eight stations at the entrances to the old town. Domestic tourists are free to visit three historical sites and it is five historical sites for international visitors. During their stay in Hoi An, visitors only need to buy one ticket.

Groups that buy at least eight tickets are provided with a free tour guide.

According to Hoi An’s Party Secretary Nguyen Su, the town will organize a press conference on this issue very soon to clear up tourists’ misunderstanding about the entrance fee policy.

Pha Le