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On January 13th, the Lam Dong Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that it had issued administrative penalties against eight Vietnamese tour guides.
These individuals violated the regulation "Failure to guide tourists according to assigned duties or guiding contracts," allowing foreigners to independently guide and explain tours at various destinations requiring knowledge of local history. This could lead to providing inaccurate information to tourists.
According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Bich Ngoc, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Lam Dong province, the Department is implementing the directives of the Provincial People's Committee and the document from the Vietnam National Tourism Administration (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) regarding the verification of information reported by the press about South Koreans guiding tourists in Lam Dong. The Department has coordinated with the Provincial Police to issue a plan for inspecting the tourism guiding activities of foreigners in the area.
The results of the on-site inspection show that all tour groups visiting tourist areas and attractions in Lam Dong province have Vietnamese tour guides.
However, upon reviewing the surveillance camera footage on the vehicle, the inspection team discovered eight instances where Vietnamese tour guides allowed South Koreans to perform tour guide duties while the vehicle was in motion.
The Lam Dong Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism announced that it has issued administrative penalties against eight Vietnamese tour guides.
All the tour operators organizing programs for Korean tourists visiting Da Lat are businesses from other localities, not from Lam Dong province.
Specifically, the main violation committed by the tour guides was "Failure to guide tourists according to assigned duties or according to the guiding contract," as stipulated in point a, clause 5, Article 9 of Government Decree No. 45/2019/ND-CP dated May 21, 2019, on administrative sanctions in the field of tourism.
Inspectors from the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism have issued warnings, corrective measures, written reports, and administrative violation decisions against Vietnamese tour guides, with a fine of 5 million VND per person.
Regarding tour guide activities conducted by Korean nationals, the inspection team requested a written commitment to fully and strictly comply with Vietnamese laws and regulations concerning tour guides, and no administrative penalties were imposed.
Following the inspection, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism requested that organizations and individuals managing tourist areas and attractions strengthen the management and supervision of business activities, especially the organization of guide services and the management and use of tour guides in accordance with the law.
Organizations send staff and guides to participate in foreign language training courses to meet the needs of tourists; coordinate with relevant agencies in managing foreign guides; ensure the safety of tourists as well as social order and safety, and protect the environment at tourist areas and destinations.
