Rights and obligations of travel service provider in Vietnam

Rights and obligations of travel service provider in Vietnam (Internet image)

1. Scope of travel services in Vietnam

According to Clause 9, Article 3 of the Law on Tourism 2017, travel services include creating, selling and running part of or the entire tour program.

Article 30 of the Law on Tourism 2017 stipulates the scope of travel services as follows:

- Provision of domestic tours for domestic tourists.

- Provision of international tours for inbound tourists and outbound tourists.

- The international travel service provider may provide international and domestic tours, except the case prescribed in Clause 4 of Article 30 of the Law on Tourism 2017.

- Foreign-invested providers shall only provide international tours for inbound tourists, unless otherwise prescribed by the treaties to which the Socialist Republic of Vietnam is a signatory

2. Rights and obligations of the travel service provider in Vietnam

* Rights and obligations of the domestic travel service provider in Vietnam

- Develop, advertise, sell and provide tourism services and tour programs for tourists within the scope of business specified in the license;

- Maintain the fulfillment of conditions for provision of tour specified in Clause 1, Article 31 of the Law on Tourism 2017;

Publish the name of provider and tour provision license number on the signboard of the provider, its branches, transaction offices, in travel contracts, on print advertisement and in electronic transactions;

- Notify the change of the person in charge of provision of travel services, submit the profile on the new person in charge of provision of travel services to the licensing authority within 15 days since the change;

- Provide information on the tour, tourism services and destinations for tourists;

- Buy insurance for tourists during their tours, except for those who have had insurance for the whole tour.

- Employ tour guides to guide tourists under the travel contract; be responsible for tour guides’ performance during the tour under the contract;

- Observe, disseminate and guide tourists to observe local law and regulations; behave in a civilized manner, respect Vietnamese and local cultural identity, customs and practices; cooperate with a competent authority in promptly imposing penalties for the illegal acts committed by tourists during the tour;

- Comply with regulations on reporting, statistics, accounting and keep documents in accordance with law.

- Take measures to ensure safety of tourists’ lives, health and property; promptly inform competent authorities of accidents and risks which may happen tourists and take remedial measures.

- Manage tourists in accordance with the tour program signed with them.

* Rights and obligations of international travel service provider that serves inbound tourists in Vietnam

- Right and obligations specified in Points a, c, d, dd, e, g, h, i and k, Clause 1 of Article 37 of the Law on Tourism 2017;

- Maintain the fulfillment of conditions for provision of tour specified in Clause 2, Article 31 of the Law on Tourism 2017;

Publish the name of provider and tour provision license number on the signboard of the provider, its branches, transaction offices, in travel contracts, on print advertisement and in electronic transactions;

- Assist tourists in entering, exiting, transiting and following customs procedures.

* Rights and obligations of  international travel service provider that serves outbound tourists in Vietnam

- Right and obligations specified in Points a, c, d, dd, g, h, i and k, Clause 1, Point b and Point c, Clause 2 of Article 37 of the Law on Tourism 2017;

- Employ international tour guides to take tourists abroad under the travel contract; take responsibility for tour guides’ performance during the tour.

(Article 37 of the Law on Tourism 2017)

>> CLICK HERE TO READ THIS ARTICLE IN VIETNAMESE