Imperfect Cover

(Baonghean) - After all, no glamorous cover can hide the imperfect truth.

Recently I had a short trip to one of the famous tourist destinations in the country. This place attracts a large number of domestic and international visitors all year round thanks to its unique features that are very attractively promoted.

Cartoon: Internet

On the first evening, our group strolled around the night market and enjoyed local cuisine - advertised by the tour guide as “not to be missed”. As soon as we set foot in the bustling market, the whole group exclaimed with delight at the abundance of fresh food displayed in an attractive manner.

The smell of food being prepared on the spot, the clinking of bowls and chopsticks, the exclamations of diners enjoying the hot delicacies made everyone's stomachs growl. The whole group gathered together to carefully select the raw food before settling down in the restaurant, sipping a few glasses of local wine to "open" their taste buds.

But alas, when the food was served, the whole table looked at each other in amazement: the squid we had chosen was sim squid, large enough to be steamed or grilled whole and firm enough to fit in a chopstick. But the plate of squid served before us was a large cuttlefish that had been cut into rings. The disappointment doubled when the fish dish was served - as soon as the chopsticks were inserted, the fish meat was crumbly and crumbly, making it difficult to pick up a neat piece.

According to the experience of a gourmet in the group, this is a sign that the fish is not fresh, so the meat is not firm, the taste is not sweet and rich. The bill for the meal also made the whole group shocked because it was twice as expensive as the usual tourist spots.

The trip ended with many unforgettable impressions - impressions of beautiful landscapes and unique local cultures, but also negative impressions of service quality. Actually, the service of that tourist destination was not too bad, but compared to my expectations before experiencing it directly, it was "a world apart".

On the one hand, it shows that the problem of communication and promotion has been focused on and successfully solved, because it creates an eager mentality for tourists, wanting to go and experience. However, how to satisfy that curiosity completely and positively - is the difficult problem for localities doing tourism.

In my case, the disappointment comes from the feeling of being “led by the nose”: imagine, you could have been perfectly happy eating a normal bowl of pho, in a normal restaurant, and at a normal price.

But the same ordinary bowl of pho - perhaps even with some ingredients omitted like chili vinegar or fried dough sticks - is advertised loudly and served in a shop with a sign saying “Family Tradition…”, at an exorbitant price. It’s not that your taste buds have suddenly changed or that you’re a picky, petty person - everyone is the same, once you expect too much from something, the difference between reality and reality will easily make people “shocked” and easily disappointed.

Honesty and rawness may not be the top criteria for a poster, a commercial or a promotional article for a brand or product. For curious customers, eye-catching images and flattering introductions always bring a positive initial effect. But what comes next?

The complete satisfaction and fulfillment of tourists when they can truly live and experience their previous expectations and dreams, or the disappointment, frustration, even anger and the promise of “never to return”? After all, no glamorous cover can hide the imperfect truth.

Hai Trieu