Improving the tourism business environment

Quang Ninh tourism has recovered strongly after the Covid-19 pandemic. Businesses have also reinvested in infrastructure as well as types of services and products to attract more visitors. This excitement inevitably leads to complications arising in the tourism environment, requiring authorities to tighten management, inspection, supervision, and handling of violations as well as raising awareness of each establishment and tourism business unit to improve service quality and preserve the brand of Quang Ninh tourism.

Many violations in tourism business

The annual summer tourist season is also the busiest tourist season in Quang Ninh localities. Information reflected from many channels of people, press and tourists shows that recently, at some tourist destinations, restaurants, accommodation facilities and on Ha Long Bay, there have been phenomena and unhealthy competition, causing negative impacts on the tourism business environment. These include the situation of some restaurants, taxis, electric cars soliciting, raising prices, forcing tourists to pay, poor quality services, unhealthy competition; some bars and pubs playing music with excessive volume, operating beyond permitted hours; illegal tourism activities, selling virtual services...

The boom in tourism activities has led to complex problems arising, requiring tightening management in tourism business.

Therefore, on July 10, the Provincial People's Committee issued Document No. 1868 on strengthening state management and ensuring the tourism business environment. Accordingly, localities are assigned to regularly organize inspections, detect, prevent and resolutely handle violations; receive and resolve tourists' feedback related to tourism in the area... Mobilize businesses, units and individuals doing tourism business to sign a commitment with local authorities to strictly implement current regulations.

Direct the review and installation of new signs to replace old, damaged signs and billboards with old, inaccurate information at tourist areas, points, and service establishments. Publicly and widely announce the hotline to handle tourism-related issues at all tourist areas, points, establishments, hotels, restaurants, eateries, public transport, cruise ships, etc. At the same time, carry out urban beautification, lighting, sanitation, and festive decoration to ensure neatness and cleanliness; strengthen the inspection force, thoroughly handle the phenomenon of begging and street vending at tourist areas, points, restaurants, eateries, etc.

Co To district has taken strong action. The locality has established an interdisciplinary inspection team to manage state tourism in the area, issued operating regulations, assigned specific tasks; maintained a hotline, and directly received feedback from tourists 24/7. Officials are also interested in receiving and grasping information and feedback from tourists, monitoring tourism activities and service quality, thereby taking action to strictly handle violations, ensuring tourists' rights.

Co To has taken strong action to handle violations and ensure the rights of tourists when they come to the island district. Photo: Tourists coming to Co To.

According to statistics, in the first 6 months of this year, the district's interdisciplinary inspection team has organized 10 inspections and fined over 20 million VND for administrative violations. In order to thoroughly control illegal tours, in early June, Co To district issued a document directing specialized agencies and functional forces to strengthen management, launch inspections, and handle illegal fishing, night squid tours, and island tours; water entertainment activities and spontaneous tours that do not comply with regulations. In July alone, the locality conducted 7 inspections and fined 7 cases, including 6 cases of jet skiing at Van Chay and Hong Van beaches with a total fine of 45 million VND; satisfactorily resolved 3 cases of tourists' complaints via the hotline about inappropriate behavior in tourism...

The most important and vibrant place in tourism activities is Ha Long City. Therefore, the issue of ensuring the tourism environment also requires more determination. Recently, the locality as well as the functional units have promptly handled many incidents arising from the reflection of the people, tourists and on social networks to preserve the image of Ha Long tourism. Among them, it is possible to mention the administrative penalty for Minh Phi 1 restaurant for posting unclear prices and uncivilized behavior, causing outrage among tourists; and the penalty for Bistro Fou Beach bar of JBY Ocean Theater Company Limited (Bistro Fou) for performing offensively, not in accordance with the customs and traditions in Bai Chay beach area.

In early July, Ha Long City Police, based on public feedback about a video posted on social media, quickly verified, prosecuted the case, and decided to detain two "illegal taxi" drivers who lined up to squeeze outbound taxis on National Highway 18 for disturbing public order. Most recently, this force also quickly arrested the robber and returned all property to two Australian tourists while traveling to Ha Long, and completed the file to handle the violators according to the law.

Ha Long City Police returned property to two Australian tourists. Photo provided by the unit

Along with specific cases, in recent times, the city has had many solutions to rectify the tourism business environment in the area, such as: Checking, verifying and strictly handling illegal taxis and electric cars that solicit and inflate prices; checking, controlling and strictly handling establishments that deliberately violate the regulations on posting prices of goods, trading in prohibited goods, counterfeit goods, goods of unknown origin, etc. The goal of the locality is to strengthen remote management of the area, early on and resolutely handle all violations in tourism activities, "no forbidden zones"; determined to build a civilized, friendly, safe and hospitable Ha Long tourism environment.

Get in sync

Not only the localities directly related to tourism activities, according to the above document, the province also assigned departments and branches based on their functions and tasks to strengthen state management, ensuring the tourism business environment.

In particular, the Department of Tourism presides over and coordinates the implementation of management measures for the tourism business environment in the whole province, especially Ha Long City and key tourism localities. Strengthening specialized inspection and examination to check at tourism businesses, tourist areas and destinations to improve service quality, ensure safety for tourists; strictly handling organizations and individuals that do not ensure tourism business conditions, tourism service quality standards; preventing illegal tourism and travel businesses, fraud, solicitation, coercion of tourists during peak seasons and other violations...

Tourists visit Ha Long Bay at Tuan Chau International Passenger Port.

The Department of Transport is in charge of managing, supervising and inspecting the compliance with regulations on tourist transport business of relevant units, taxis, electric cars, cruise ships, passenger ships, etc. Strengthening inspection, handling and being ready to receive and promptly resolve recommendations and feedback from tourists regarding cases where drivers arbitrarily change the itinerary, force passengers to go to locations not as requested, collect money not in accordance with regulations, etc.

The Department of Industry and Trade and the Provincial Market Management Department strengthen management of price registration, announcement, price posting, counterfeit goods, fake goods, poor quality goods... to handle violations. The Provincial Police strengthen management of security and order, fire prevention and fighting, traffic safety; coordinate in inspection, investigation, and handling of violations at tourist destinations and tourism service establishments; be ready to coordinate to quickly resolve recommendations and feedback from tourists related to the tourism environment.

Ha Long Bay Management Board strengthens solutions and mechanisms to manage, protect and promote the value of Ha Long Bay World Heritage; coordinates with functional agencies and local authorities to manage, inspect and handle violations related to tourism service activities on Ha Long Bay. Takes the lead in inspecting, monitoring and thoroughly handling the situation of street vendors on the bay (if any).

Along with that, media agencies have increased propaganda and dissemination of information and images about the tourism environment and the Code of Conduct for Civilized Tourism in Quang Ninh. In addition to posting and widely publicizing examples of good people and good deeds of organizations and individuals in protecting the tourism business environment, they also reflect on violations in tourism business activities that affect the image of Quang Ninh tourism.

Quang Ninh Tourism Association promotes the role of professional organizations in propaganda and dissemination to raise awareness of individuals and tourism service business organizations about the responsibility to protect the tourism environment and the reputation and image of Quang Ninh tourism. Encourage individuals and tourism organizations to sign a commitment to strictly implement current policies and guidelines, the Code of Conduct for civilized tourism in Quang Ninh, especially the publicity and transparency of quality and prices of services and goods to build a civilized, friendly and attractive tourism environment...

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