National Assembly Chairman: 'Vietnam's tourism services are still very poor'

National Assembly Chairman: "Vietnam's tourism infrastructure and services are still very poor. We ourselves are not satisfied when we go to different places."

Giving opinions on the draft Law on Tourism (amended), on the morning of September 19, opinions in the National Assembly Standing Committee emphasized the need to create mechanisms and policies to promote the development of Vietnam's tourism commensurate with its potential and advantages; especially to overcome current shortcomings and limitations.

"Vietnam's tourism services are still very poor!"

Agreeing with the assessment that the current tourism exploitation is not commensurate with the potential and advantages, National Assembly Chairwoman Nguyen Thi Kim Ngan raised the issue that our seas and forests are not inferior to any country in the region, but the number of visitors is small, and those who come once do not return. The promulgation of this law must promote better tourism development, improve quality, and modernize, attracting more visitors and visitors to return.

To do that, we must think and clarify what the weaknesses are in order to create a legal framework to promote development. “Vietnam’s tourism infrastructure and tourism services are still very poor. We are not satisfied when going to different places, especially in places where many domestic and foreign tourists gather, which does not meet the development requirements” – the National Assembly Chairman frankly stated; at the same time, he emphasized that tourism development cannot be separated from culture to be successful.

Chairman of the Economic Committee Vu Hong Thanh

Mr. Thanh also proposed that there should be a special mechanism in heritage management, and that the community must be responsible for participating in protection. The way to treat heritage must also be more special than elsewhere, both preserving and promoting exploitation. If we just keep it without exploiting it, then the title is useless, the title must be associated with development. Pointing out 3 "bottlenecks": tourism infrastructure, institutions and human resources, Chairman of the Economic Committee Vu Hong Thanh suggested paying attention to traffic infrastructure, connecting tourism centers; training human resources and quick and convenient administrative procedures.

“In Quang Ninh, when the People's Council set a deadline for tourist boats to ensure greater safety, the press, here and there, said that doing so was a violation of the law. But if we keep safety standards like that, the boats will catch fire and sink in a few days. We need a special mechanism, but if we consider tourist boats as normal means of transport and regulate them as they are now, we are afraid that they are unsafe and will affect the safe tourism environment,” said Mr. Vu Hong Thanh.

Regarding state management, Vice Chairman of the National Assembly Uong Chu Luu also wondered: “The role of the People's Council - the elected body - is nowhere to be seen, while plans, policies, measures to develop local tourism and ensure safety like this and that must all be passed through the Resolution of the People's Council. Now we talk about the policy of socialization, but the role of the Fatherland Front, mass organizations and communities, the legal mechanism is not clearly seen in the draft.”

A market alone cannot compete.

According to Mr. Nguyen Khac Dinh - Chairman of the Law Committee, tourism development cannot be done by just one industry but requires the participation of many sectors, because this field is comprehensive and highly integrated. Therefore, it is necessary to coordinate the handling of related issues, such as regulations on immigration procedures, visa issuance, commercial rights, etc. to attract tourists.

Mr. Dinh cited that when there were new regulations on entry and exit, there were cases where thousands of people traveling by ship were stuck and could not complete the procedures. Visas in many countries are exempted, but we are only exempted by a few countries and for a short period of time… Those factors all affect the tourism industry in general.

Regarding the regulations on tour guides, Mr. Nguyen Duc Hai - Chairman of the Finance and Budget Committee said that it is too strict and not suitable for current reality, especially in the context of increasingly expanding international cooperation.

“As I understand it, both locals and foreigners can work as tour guides. Integration is to promote international cooperation. Currently, the hotel business is all about famous brands, and travel agencies are not only Vietnamese who can bring Japanese and Korean people, but also partners. A market alone cannot compete. Foreigners can still work as long as they meet the requirements, conditions, and pay taxes in full according to regulations...” – Mr. Hai stated his opinion.

Mr. Nguyen Duc Hai - Chairman of the Finance and Budget Committee

The Chairman of the Finance and Budget Committee also cited the reality in Hue or some places where foreigners have lived in Vietnam for a long time and are attached to Vietnam, so it should be encouraged that they meet the requirements to work as tour guides for visitors from other countries.

“We should have an open view. Attracting tourists is the destination, the product, but speaking well is the tour guide. They are the bridge, leaving an impression on tourists. If the law is too strict, it can be managed but there is no competitiveness, it is difficult to promote cooperation in tourism development” – Mr. Nguyen Duc Hai said./.

According to VOV