VietNamNet Bridge – The government has decided that tourism is one of the key industries of the national economy. However, the current policies don’t support the development.

The problems of the policies

Travel firms have been repeatedly urged to slash tour fees in order to attract more tourists. In reply, the firms said this is not within their reach, because the tour fees much depend on the input costs.

“While travel firms have been trying to ease tour fees by cutting down expenses, local authorities have been raising the excursion fees at sightseeing points in their localities,” a representative from Huong Giang Travel firm said.

Deputy Chair of the Vietnam Tourism Association Vu The Binh complained that local authorities did not consult with travel firms, which can bring tourists to the localities, before they decided to raise the excursion fees.

“This showed local authorities have been following the “everyman for himself,” while they don’t care about the national interest,” Binh said.

The decisions to raise the visa granting fee from 25 dollars to 45 dollars and to unilaterally remove the visa waving policy once applied to seven countries, have also been cited as one of the big obstacles that hinder the development of tourism.

Travel firms all unanimously voiced their concern that the decisions would set a new barrier for attracting tourists, because the new policy comes contrary to the current growing tendency in the world that the border lines would be removed for tourists.

Binh stressed that travel firms, which can bring a high income source from 6.5 million foreign travelers and tens of millions of domestic travelers a year, should be more respected and they should be consulted with when state agencies and local authorities lay down new policies.

What is Vietnam’s tourism brand?

General Director of Saigontourist Tran Hung Viet said if Vietnam cannot choose a reasonable theme for its tourism, it would be impossible to gather travel firms and local authorities and mobilize their resources for an effective marketing campaign for Vietnam’s tourism.

Nguyen Quoc Ky, General Director of Vietravel, said a tourism expert has suggested that Vietnam should be “the kitchen of the world.”

Ky said Vietnamese cuisine has always been attractive to foreign travelers. Vietnamese dishes such as pho (noodle soup), nem ran (spring rolls) have always been listed as the most attractive dishes in the world.

Some days ago, Professor Tran Van Khe, a Vietnamese well-known culturist in the world, was invited to Vietravel to talk about the Vietnamese culture and cuisine. The 400 officers of Vietravel could not imagine before that Vietnamese dishes were so famous in the world. Therefore, they have every reason to suggest that Vietnamese cuisine should be developed into the national tourism brand.

Vietnam should be open about the tourism safety problem

Ky from Vietravel firm said that what most worries tourists now is that they feel insecurity in Vietnam.

“5-7 Japanese travelers, who are the clients of Vietravel, report that they are the victims of robberies every month,” Ky said.

Binh from the Vietnam Tourism Association also said the Japanese Consulate General in HCM City says they have to grant visas again to Japanese travelers to Vietnam every day. “Therefore, please do not think that Vietnam is a safe and friendly destination,” Binh said, adding that it would be better to face facts and find out effective solutions to the problem.

To Quoc