Vietnam plans to attract 15 million foreign travelers this year

Chinese tourists, for example, were found wearing T-shirts containing the ‘nine-dash line’ that violates Vietnam’s sovereignty when they entered Vietnam in mid-May. 

Many people have once again called on to restrict the number of Chinese travelers to Vietnam because of risks to public order. Da Nang tour guides lodged an appeal with agencies, complaining that Chinese provide tour guides operate illegally in Vietnam and distort Vietnam’s history. 

The ‘zero-dong tours’, the map with illicit ‘9-dash line’ and the bad behavior of many Chinese in public have all raised concern. 

Some extremists have even called on travel firms to refuse Chinese travelers because the revenue they generate is not high enough to cover damages they cause.

Meanwhile, many people disagree, saying that China is the biggest market for Vietnam.

A report of the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) showed that 1.7 million out of 5.5 million foreign travelers to Vietnam in the first four months were Chinese, an increase of 40 percent over the same period last year. 

In 2017, about 4 million Chinese travelers came to Vietnam, an increase of 50 percent over 2016.

Lam Duy Anh Cuong, chair of the Khanh Hoa provincial Tourism Association, also said Chinese travelers are important clients. 

However, he admitted that the sharp increase in the number of Chinese travelers who come to Vietnam under cheap tours have caused damage to the tourism environment. 

In such circumstances, a policy which maintains a reasonable growth rate would ensure the quality of services and avoid overloading infrastructure.

Nguyen Duc Quynh, deputy CEO of Furama Resort Da Nang, said to attract suitable travelers, Vietnam needs to better understand tourists and create favorable conditions for them to spend money in Vietnam.

He said that agencies should develop shopping centers meeting certain standards and sell products and services Chinese travelers want.

An expert has suggested releasing a code of conduct specifically designed for Chinese travelers. 

The expert said in September 2017 Chinese travelers to Singapore were given handbooks of tips when touring Singapore. The handbook contained recommendations about what Chinese travelers should not do in the country.

Vietnam plans to attract 15 million foreign travelers in 2018 and obtain total revenue of VND620 trillion.

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Kim Chi