Why hasn't Nghe An implemented the collection of entrance fees to relics and museums?

Implementing the policy of socialization and promoting heritage values

In fact, Nghe An is currently one of the few provinces and cities in the country that has not yet implemented fee collection at relics and museums in the province. Meanwhile, many provinces and cities have implemented fee collection at relics for many years.

For example, Hanoi City has regulated the entrance fee for famous landscapes, historical relics, and cultural works in Hanoi, such as the Temple of Literature - Quoc Tu Giam, Ngoc Son Temple, Co Loa Relic Site, Quan Thanh Temple, Hoa Lo Prison Relic Site, Thang Long Imperial Citadel Central Area, Thay Pagoda, Tay Phuong Pagoda, Huong Pagoda, Duong Lam Ancient Village, etc.

Thua Thien Hue Province collects entrance fees to the following relics: Hue Royal Palace (Imperial Palace - Hue Royal Antiquities Museum), Minh Mang Tomb, Tu Duc Tomb, Khai Dinh Tomb, Gia Long Tomb, Thieu Tri Tomb, Dong Khanh Tomb, Hon Chen Palace, An Dinh Palace, and Nam Giao Altar.

Ha Giang province regulates the fee collection level for the Vuong Dynasty architectural and artistic relic; Lung Cu flagpole historical relic and scenic spot, Nam Dan ancient stone relic site, Tien waterfall - Gio pass scenic spot.

Thanh Hoa province even regulates the fee for all historical relics, landscapes and scenic spots in the province...

However, in Nghe An, collecting fees for relics, museums, and scenic spots is a controversial issue. Over the past 5 years, the People's Committee of Nghe An province has held two meetings to listen to and give opinions on the Project and Draft Resolution of the Provincial People's Council on regulations on fees for visiting relics and museums in the province.

According to the Department of Culture and Sports, the unit in charge of drafting the draft, the collection of fees for visiting relics, museums and cultural works is carried out in accordance with the provisions of the Law on Fees and Charges, because in Appendix No. 01 on the List of fees and charges, issued together with the Law on Fees and Charges No. 97/2015/QH13, it is stipulated that: Fees for visiting scenic spots, historical relics, cultural works, and museums are prescribed by the Ministry of Finance for works under the central management; the People's Council at the provincial level decides for works under the local management.

For relics and museums, fee collection aims to implement the policy of socialization in providing services to society, mobilizing contributions from the social community to develop career activities, gradually reducing subsidies from the State budget for public service activities and in accordance with the socio-economic development situation of Nghe An province.

The fee collection is also to ensure compensation for the costs of collecting, managing and using the revenue from sightseeing fees at the unit; supplementing funds for regular activities and the preservation, restoration and repair of relics and museums, contributing to further improving the quality of services for visitors. At the same time, it aims to gradually raise awareness and create awareness and habits for people in contributing to the preservation and promotion of the value of the nation's cultural heritage.

Qua Son Temple (Boi Son Commune, Do Luong District) - 1 of 9 relics and museums proposed to collect entrance fees in the Draft Project on Regulations on entrance fees to relics and museums in Nghe An Province. Photo: Minh Quan

However, through two meetings of the Provincial People's Committee in 2017 and 2020, the Provincial People's Committee agreed to stop issuing resolutions on collecting fees for visitors to relics and museums. The reason is that opinions from departments, branches and organizations believe that for relics that are works associated with spiritual and cultural activities, fee collection needs to be implemented cautiously, because it can easily cause negative public opinion in society. As for museums, service quality is still limited, the number of visitors is very low...

At these meetings, the leaders of the Provincial People's Committee affirmed that issuing a resolution on fee collection at this time is not appropriate; departments and branches need to continue researching to propose fee levels, collection subjects, mechanisms and implementation apparatus at a more appropriate time.

Only charge when services are well developed.

Up to now, there are still many different opinions about collecting entrance fees to relics, museums, scenic spots and landscapes in Nghe An province.

Through discussions with reporters, Mr. Phan Trong Loc - Head of the Truong Bon Historical Relic Site Management Board; Mr. Vu Hong Duc - Deputy Director of the Vinh City Center for Culture, Sports and Communications, Head of the Quang Trung Temple Management Board and Mr. Nguyen Kim Nam - Head of the Department of Culture and Information of Do Luong District, Deputy Head of the Qua Son Temple Management Board all said that the current collection of entrance fees for spiritual works in the province is not appropriate.

"The relic is closely associated with the spiritual life of the people, built by the people, and every year when coming to offer incense and offerings, people contribute merit to the relic, so the implementation of fee collection is unreasonable and can easily cause resentment among the people," Mr. Vu Hong Duc affirmed.

Tourists visit Quang Trung Temple (Trung Do Ward, Vinh City). Photo: Minh Quan

“Looking at Ha Tinh province with the Dong Loc T-junction Historical Relic Site with many similarities to the Truong Bon Historical Relic Site, 9 years ago, they also implemented the collection of entrance fees. However, due to the opposition from the people, especially veterans and former youth volunteers, the collection of fees had to stop,” said Mr. Phan Trong Loc.

The leaders of the management boards of the above relics all said that they wish to be able to collect entrance fees but only propose to do so when the relics have completed their tourism infrastructure and services. "At Qua Son Temple Relics, in the near future, we will develop the area from the temple to Ba But Pagoda, a system of flower gardens, hot springs, boat services from the temple to the pagoda...; when these works and services are completed, then we will consider the option of collecting fees", Mr. Nguyen Kim Nam shared.

Meanwhile, Mr. Nguyen Duc Kiem - Director of Nghe An Museum also affirmed that collecting fees for relics and museums is necessary and must be done as soon as possible, following the motto "using relics to nurture relics", in accordance with Decree 16/2015/ND-CP regulating the autonomy mechanism of public service units.

"Only when there is an entrance fee will people and tourists be curious and realize the value of relics and museums. If it is free like now, they will not appreciate those values," Mr. Kiem expressed his opinion.

People visit Nghe An Museum. Photo: Dinh Tuyen

However, Mr. Nguyen Duc Kiem also said that when collecting fees, the museum also needs to expand and improve the quality of services, such as implementing photography and filming inside and outside the museum; selling souvenirs, jewelry products, costumes with unique local identities; food services... Besides, connecting tours to visit the Museum; building tourism products at the Museum such as: Traditional discovery tourism, conference tourism, historical and archaeological research tourism...

Mr. Nguyen Duc Hien - Chairman of Nghe An Tourism Association said that if we want to attract tourists to relics and scenic spots, we must create an impression of an attractive destination, expressed in the following criteria: Unique natural landscape, clean environment, security, guaranteed order, friendly local people, conscious of preserving the value of relics and scenic spots, reasonable fees, commensurate with the service... Therefore, when researching and implementing fees for visiting relics, museums, and scenic spots, management agencies need to consider the above factors synchronously.

Foreign tourists visit the Nghe Tinh Soviet Museum. Photo: CSCC

Regarding this issue, Mr. Bui Cong Vinh - Deputy Director of the Department of Culture and Sports said that collecting entrance fees for cultural heritage sites such as museums is an economic problem with multi-dimensional factors, which needs to be considered from a comprehensive, long-term perspective, and needs to be carefully considered to avoid the situation of "more harm than good".

The collection of relic fees in the coming time will only be implemented when the relics and museums in the province have completed their tourism infrastructure, diversified and improved the quality of services to strongly attract tourists, thereby creating consensus among the people. In the coming time, the Department of Culture and Sports will coordinate with the Department of Tourism on this issue to be able to create a stable source of revenue, supporting the State budget in the work of preserving and promoting the value of heritages./.