The so-called zero-dong tours with Chinese tourists continue despite great efforts by local authorities to stop them. Chinese travelers in Quang Ninh After a short period of interruption, zero-dong tours have resumed. “You can meet Chinese travelers everywhere in Quang Ninh, from old to young people, from healthy to disabled,” said N.V.T, a tour guide. The Tuan Chau Tourism Port in Ha Long was full with Chinese travelers recently, though it was very early in the morning. About 100 45-seat coaches were seen in the coach area, ready to serve travelers. Most of them enter Vietnam through the Mong Cai International Border Gate. They are carried inland on 45-seat buses. Each tour lasts two days and one night, or three days and two nights. Everything at the port seemed to be set up to serve Chinese. Signboards and billboards were all written in Chinese. The boards hung over the shops were in Chinese. The shops sell Vietnam-made products such as agarwood and pearl. … [Read more...] about Zero VND tours damaging Vietnam’s tourism environment
Tours
Aviation fare hikes in Vietnam leave tour agencies scrambling to adapt
By Vy An  April 5, 2018 | 10:27 am GMT+7 An airplane of Vietjet Air is seen before a flight at Noi Bai airport in Hanoi, Vietnam. Photo by Reuters/Kham Agencies were only informed of the new prices 11 days before they took effect. The cost of traveling by air on several Vietnamese carriers rose at the start of this month, leaving tour agencies in a quandary. The cost of children's tickets on national flag carrier Vietnam Airlines has gone up 20 percent, and budget operator Vietjet Air has announced it has raised fees for changing names, dates and seats on flight tickets. The changes have left tour agencies scrambling to make ends meet, considering how flight tickets account for 50 to 60 percent of tour prices. Le Cong Nang, head of communications for Vietrantour, said his firm is still trying to adjust prices after only receiving word of the new fares on March 20, just 11 days before the actual changes took effect. “For tours that were … [Read more...] about Aviation fare hikes in Vietnam leave tour agencies scrambling to adapt
Online tour bookings seen growing 50% towards 2020
Online tour bookings are projected to expand 50% in 2018-2020, almost twice as much as e-commerce, but this tourism segment will face many difficulties. A 2017 survey of international tourists showed 71% of tourists search for online information, and 64% book and buy services online when traveling to Vietnam. With the development of e-commerce and tourism, these proportions will be higher in the future. According to online travel agency Tugo, the old travel business model has exposed issues related to product marketing and personnel. Speaking at a workshop on online tourism in Hanoi last week, a representative of Tugo said travel firms have spent a lot on marketing but they have not been able to exactly measure the efficiency of their marketing plans. To reach more customers, traditional travel firms need to increase branches, staff and costs. Thanks to new technology, Tugo has solved this issue, said the representative. New technology has made it possible for Tugo to reduce … [Read more...] about Online tour bookings seen growing 50% towards 2020
Tour explores Xoan singing in ancient village
Photo for illustration (Source: VNA) Accordingly, artisans and members of Xoan troupes will perform from 14h00 - 16h00 at Hung Lo communal house every day and from 14h00 - 16h00 at Lai Len temple every Saturday and Sunday. During the Hung Kings Temple Festival from April 20th-25th, xoan singing performances will be staged from 08h00 - 16h00 every day in the above venues. The daily tour will bring tourists to Hung Kings Temple relic site, Hung Kings museum, Hung Lo ancient village and Lai Len temple, contributing to building Viet Tri into a festival city and popularising tours around the province and the city in particular. In the near future, travel agencies will continue introducing Xoan singing and Hung Kings worship rituals - two UNESCO-recognised intangible cultural heritages of humanity to the public. At the ceremony, the provincial Centre for Tourism Information - Promotion, Viet Tri municipal People’s Committee and travel agencies signed an agreement to launch Hanoi - … [Read more...] about Tour explores Xoan singing in ancient village
Tour guide fined for letting Chinese visitor spread distorted truth of Vietnamese history
Authorities in Vietnam's coastal city of Da Nang have fined a local tour guide for allowing a Chinese tourist to take over and spread distorted information about Vietnam’s history and culture to other visitors. Tran A Hung was fined VND12.5 million ($548) for failing to manage his client in accordance with regulations outlined in his contract, the city's tourism department said on Tuesday. Hung was guiding four Chinese visitors to Da Nang Museum in the central city in late February. In a video posted on social media on February 28, a Chinese woman identified as Wang JiHong, 48, one of Hung’s clients, taking on the role of a tour guide herself at the museum. She said the Vietnamese traditional long dress ao dai came from cheongsam, a body-hugging one-piece dress for Chinese women, and although the ao dai is made in the Vietnamese style, it looks the same as the Chinese cheongsam. JiHong went on to say that: “Vietnam belonged to China in the past but fighting had … [Read more...] about Tour guide fined for letting Chinese visitor spread distorted truth of Vietnamese history