Travel agencies have voiced concerns over the security in tourist attractions in Vietnam like HCMC and Nha Trang, saying the situation is getting worse due to an increasing number of robberies and swindles.
Nguyen Viet Hung, director of Fiditourist, said he has seen robbers snatching foreign tourists’ belongings in downtown HCMC for three times. Sometimes, tourists not only lost their things but also got scratches due to being pushed by robbers.
“Guests at our company have not fallen victim to such crimes, but this is the common concern. Ensuring safety for tourists must be the top priority, otherwise all efforts to promote the country as a safe and friendly destination will be worthless,” he told the Daily.
Sharing the same opinion, Phan Xuan Anh, chairman of Viet Excursions, claimed that some of his company’s tourists were robbed and it made them worried when taking the tours. For their sake, more security policies must be carried out to protect them as well as not to spoil the Vietnam’s image.
Before departure, the tour guide carefully advised tourists how to protect their valuable items but as a matter of fact, some of them were robbed. Such robberies scare them, and warnings make them worry and lose interest in traveling, he continued.
Meanwhile, Bui Viet Thuy Tien, CEO of Asian Trails Co., said no tourists of her company had been robbed but one has been swindled a big sum of money. “One day after being swindled, the elderly German lady decided to cancel her trip to go back home due to being highly frightened,” Tien said.
The HCMC Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism believed one of the biggest drawbacks for the city’s travel industry is that security for foreign tourists is not highly regarded.
Voluntary Youth forces responsible for protecting foreigners have prevented many robbery cases but they cannot assure the safety for each of the tourists. The authority is considering a plan to establish the tourism police, said La Quoc Khanh, vice chairman of the department.
In the January-July period, international arrivals in HCMC are estimated to reach over 1.86 million.
By Dao Loan - The Saigon Times Daily
Business & Investment Opportunities
YourVietnamExpert is a division of Saigon Business Corporation Pte Ltd, Incorporated in Singapore since 1994. As Your Business Companion, we propose a range of services in Consulting, Investment and Management, focusing three main economic sectors: International PR; Healthcare & Wellness;and Tourism & Hospitality. We also propose Higher Education, as a bridge between educational structures and industries, by supporting international programs. Sign up with twitter to get news updates with @SaigonBusinessC. Thanks.
No comments:
Post a Comment