Tourism authority steadfast on tour guide cards

HCMC – The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) stands by its decision on professional cards for tour guides, saying these employees have to obtain the new plastic cards under the new Tourism Law if they are to continue their job.

Vu The Binh, head of the Travel Department of VNAT, told the Daily that the paper-based cards expired on September 30, and no new deadline is now given.

“We need to comply with the Tourism Law. Tour guides can’t serve tourists without these professional (plastic) cards,” he said, rejecting a new request from HCMC to soften the stance to give tour guides more time to meet the requirements.

Under the new law, tour guides serving international travelers must have a bachelor’s degree, a new requirement that many professional guides fail to meet.

The HCMC Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism last week asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and VNAT to ease the qualification requirements to solve the situation, especially for tour guides serving guests from China, Germany and Japan.

The city’s tourism department asked VNAT to allow such tour guides to change for the new cards first and then complete the degree over the next three years.

The city’s department said that over half of the professional tour guides in HCMC catering to foreign tourists cannot change their paper-based cards for the plastic due to higher standards.

“In 2006, we once allowed the provincial tourism departments to issue temporary cards for tour guides, giving them time to complete the degree, but many people ignored the requirement. We need to follow the law,” he said.

According to the HCMC Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, after three months of issuing new cards to tour guides, fewer than 700 guides have obtained the plastic compared to the number of 1,680 professional guides in the city.

In related news, VNAT has asked all international travel companies to change licenses before December 30. The change is required under the Tourism Law, which took effect in January last year.

VNAT said the old licenses would expire on that date.

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Expo promotes regional tourism

Photo: Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Vietnam

A three-day annual International Travel Expo aimed at boosting 3CODE (Three Countries One Destination) tourism program covering Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia has wrapped up in Ho Chi Minh City.

Held at the Saigon Exhibition and Convention Center in District 7, the event attracted 155 "buyers" from 35 countries and 173 sellers (enterprises and departments offering products and services).

Besides buyers from traditional markets, organizers aimed to explore new markets in North Europe, Spain, Italy and the US.

"This year's expo welcomes Myanmar, preparing to form the new 4CODE," said La Quoc Khanh, deputy director of the HCMC Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

"We hope to see all the six countries of the Greater Mekong Sub-region in the coming expo, to join hands and make the region more interesting in the eyes of international tourists," Khanh said.

Vietnam's national flag carrier as well as the official carrier of the event, Vietnam Airlines, offered up to 85 percent discounts on selected international routes.

The carrier also introduced its "Welcome Christmas in Europe" tour packages at attractive prices.

Thailand organized a conference introducing its Amazing Thailand campaign. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) targets 14 million arrivals by the end of this year, and 15.5 million international tourist arrivals next year.

TAT and the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism have also held a working section.

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Annual travel expo to move to new venue in HCM City

HCM CITY — The sixth edition of the International Travel Expo (ITE) in HCM City, the largest tourism event in Viet Nam, will be held September 30-October 2.

La Quoc Khanh, deputy director of the HCM City Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, said the expo would be held at the new, modern Sai Gon Exhibition and Convention Centre (SECC) in the Phu My Hung area in District 7.

Yesterday, the organisers of ITE 2010 announced the participation of 155 buyers from 35 countries and regions, nine tourism promotional organisations including those from India, Turkey, China, Thailand, Myanmar, Malaysia, and 15 newspapers and magazines from 13 countries, including Sweden, Italy, Thailand, Australia, Canada, Germany, China, Russia and France.

During the event, several networking opportunities will be available, including the ASEAN Tourism Investment Forum; a conference with four ministers from Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar and Viet Nam; 2010 Tourism Alliance Awards; Viet Nam Night; Cambodia Night; and a lunch party hosted by the Thailand Ministry of Tourism.

ITE 2010 is open only to trade visitors and buyers on the first day and a half of the event. It is open to the public for a half day on October 1 and 2.

"ITE 2010, with the theme Three Countries One Destination, offers business opportunities for both inbound and outbound travel all at one event," said Nguyen Van Tan, the department director and manager of the city representative office of the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

"Besides offering a channel for Cambodia, Laos and Viet Nam to promote themselves, the event is an opportunity for our tourism to look back and improve so that it can be better."

The previous ITE 2009 held last year at the Phu Tho stadium in District 11 attracted 186 exhibiting organisations and companies from 16 countries and regions, 109 buyers from 21 countries and regions, and 14,242 visitors (4,939 trade and 9,303 public visitors). — VNS

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