VietNamNet Bridge - Tens of Chinese have been found illegally working as tour guides in Da Nang. However, analysts believe this is just the tip of the iceberg and the real number is much higher. Vietnamese tour guides lose jobs to Chinese Nguyen Xuan Binh, deputy director of the Da Nang Tourism Department, said the police discovered 23 foreigners, including 20 Chinese and 3 South Koreans, working illegally as tour guides. 20 of them have been fined VND322.5 million, while 11 have been forced to exit Vietnam. A director of a travel firm affirmed that some Vietnamese companies have lent a hand to Chinese. RELATED NEWS ‘Zero dong’ tours break out again in Quang Ninh "VND0 tours" for Chinese travelers: how to stop them Nam Mai … [Read more...] about Vietnamese tour guides lose jobs to Chinese
Vietnamese tour companies
Tour companies need to adapt to cater to millennials: experts
Viet Nam News HCM CITY — With young adults born between 1980 and 1998 now accounting for 38 per cent of Việt nam’s population, their travelling and sightseeing preferences are having an impact on the tourism industry, and many companies are trying to cater to this profitable demographic. For instance, when Việt Nam News asked several Vietnamese and foreign university students what they considered important on a tour, almost all chose flexibility. A young British visitor to HCM City, who asked not to be named, said: “We wanted a tour that would give us a good action-packed schedule and that had all the travel planned, but one that also allowed us to be able to do our own thing sometimes and not have to take part in all activities.” Some even prefer not buying a tour at all and instead do their own research and make their own travel plans. Landscapes, local cuisine and demographics are the most important factors when they select a location. … [Read more...] about Tour companies need to adapt to cater to millennials: experts
Korea announces simplified visa applications for Vietnamese visitors
It is part of the activities celebrating the 25th anniversary of diplomatic ties between Vietnam and the Republic of Korea as well as aiming at strengthening strategic cooperation and expanding exchange in various fields. Accordingly, visitors who needn’t provide specified documentary evidence of their financial capacity with their visa application are office workers of top 500 in Vietnamese businesses, companies with Korean imvestment named in the list by the Korea Chamber of Business in Vietnam (Korcham); State-owned and State officials; individual having a bank account of over VND 1 billion at Vietnamese and Korean banks; talent in art, sports or culture; people graduate from Korean universities and colleges; retired person aged 55 years and above; journalist, TV producer; person who entered OECD member countries and others. On the occasion, the South Korean embassy in Hanoi and the South Korean Consulate General in Ho Chi Minh City signed a cooperation … [Read more...] about Korea announces simplified visa applications for Vietnamese visitors
Chinese visitor numbers to Ha Long plummet as cheap tours face tighter controls
The number of Chinese tourists entering northern Vietnam’s Quang Ninh Province has plummeted following moves by local administrations to crack down on dirt cheap tours. The number of Chinese tourists entering northern Vietnam’s Quang Ninh Province has plummeted following moves by local administrations to crack down on dirt cheap tours. These so-called ‘zero-dollar tours,’ organized by Chinese travel agencies in partnership with local ones, spare their customers all costs other than their airfare, and make money on travelers expenses during their trip. Tourists are taken en masse to affiliated shops - out of bounds to local shoppers - where they are widely ripped off in collusion with the tour operators themselves, who pocket the profits of the transactions, which are all made in Chinese yuan. The destination of choice for most of these tours is Quang Ninh, which is accessible by road from China through the Mong Cai Border Gate, and is home to the UNESCO … [Read more...] about Chinese visitor numbers to Ha Long plummet as cheap tours face tighter controls
Dice with death: Illegal adventure tours in Vietnam’s Da Lat (photos)
Despite multiple fatal accidents in recent years involving illegal adventure tours at waterfalls in Da Lat, the activity remains popular with thrill-seeking foreign tourists in the Central Highlands city. Despite multiple fatal accidents in recent years involving illegal adventure tours at waterfalls in Da Lat, the activity remains popular with thrill-seeking foreign tourists in the Central Highlands city. Since a zipline failure sent a Polish tourist and his Vietnamese tour guide to their tragic deaths last month during an illegal adventure tour in the resort town, the administration of Lam Dong Province has demanded that local travel agencies stop taking tourists to unapproved locations for adventurous activities. However, the call has mostly been ignored as companies continue to operate unauthorized adventure tours at dangerous waterfalls with few safety measures. Most of those who opt for these tours are young, thrill-seeking foreigners who travel on a tight budget, as one of … [Read more...] about Dice with death: Illegal adventure tours in Vietnam’s Da Lat (photos)