To strengthen the management of tourism products that may pose risks to tourists in Vietnam

To strengthen the management of tourism products that may pose risks to tourists in Vietnam (Internet image) 

On January 8, 2024, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism issued Official Dispatch 72/BVHTTDL-DLQGVN on strengthening management for tourism products that pose a risk to the lives and health of tourists.

To strengthen the management of tourism products that may pose risks to tourists in Vietnam

Specifically, in the face of a number of serious accidents occurring in some tourist areas and destinations, affecting the lives and property of tourists and the image of Vietnamese tourism, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism has directed the Ministry Inspectorate to coordinate with local tourism inspectors to review tourism products that pose a risk to the lives and health of tourists (adventure tourism products).

The review results show a number of problems that need to be overcome: many organizations and individuals providing adventurous tourism products are still subjective and have not assessed the level of danger to take measures to respond to risks and protect tourists; the awareness of compliance with legal regulations of service providers and the awareness of tourists in the process of using tourism services is not high, causing unfortunate accidents to occur; Some processes and equipment serving adventure tourism products have not been inspected and re-evaluated after a long period of interruption due to the COVID-19 epidemic; The management of adventure tourism products has not been carried out regularly and seriously.

To strengthen state management in the field of tourism, improve service quality, regulate business activities of adventurous tourism products, and ensure safety for tourists, according to Official Dispatch 4584/BVHTTDL-DLQGVN, the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism requests the People's Committees of provinces and cities to direct the Department of Tourism, and the Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism takes the lead in coordinating with functional agencies to focus on implementing the following contents:

- Require organizations and individuals involved in providing adventure tourism products in the area to strictly comply with tourism and related laws and comply with regulations on conditions for tourism products that risk affecting the lives and health of tourists in Article 9 and Article 10 of Decree 168/2017/ND-CP; proactively inspect, maintain, and upgrade facilities and equipment; review service processes; develop risk prevention plans; foster and train skills in handling situations; rescue staff; and ensure safety for tourists in providing adventure tourism products.

- Overall review, risk assessment, and warning of situations that may occur in adventure tourism activities, especially in unusual weather conditions; develop rescue and rescue plans at tourist areas, destinations, and areas that provide adventurous tourism products and services.

- Organize inspection, examination, and supervision of organizations and individuals doing business and providing adventure tourism products in the area to promptly detect, prevent, and strictly handle acts that cause unsafety to tourists. In cases of necessity, request to suspend or stop the operations of organizations and individuals providing adventure tourism products that do not meet the conditions according to current regulations.

- Review, arrange, and prioritize upgrading infrastructure conditions, technical facilities, equipment, signs, instructions, etc. to increase accessibility, improve service quality, and ensure safety in exploiting and developing adventure tourism products.

- Strengthen communication and regularly update information about adventure tourism products in the area. Propagate and raise awareness of law observance and the sense of responsibility of organizations, individuals, and tourists in the process of providing and using adventure tourism products.

- Review types of tourism products that have risks affecting the lives and health of tourists that are not yet regulated in the Law on Tourism, Decree 168/2017/ND-CP, to recommend and propose inclusion in the list of tourism products that need to be managed better during the process of amending and supplementing legal regulations.

More details can be found in Official Dispatch 72/BVHTTDL-DLQGVN, issued on January 8, 2024.

Ho Quoc Tuan

>> CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE IN VIETNAMESE