Viet Nam News
HA NOI — Vietnamese tour guides will be ranked on the basis of their capacity, knowledge and experience, said Bui Van Dung, vice chairman of the Viet Nam Tour Guides Association (VNTG) during a press conference held yesterday in Ha Noi.
Like hotels, the tour guides will receive a star rating with the aim of encouraging them to improve their skills and upgrade service quality.
“Currently, more than 23,000 tour guides are serving international and domestic tours but just over 6,000 tour guides are licensed,” said Dung.
The VNTG received support from the Viet Nam Administration of Tourism, the Viet Nam Tourism Association (VITA) and the European Union-funded Environmentally and Socially Responsible Tourism project to launch the programme.
Accordingly, a competition will take place in HCM City to rank tour guides on October 22-24, in Ha Noi and Quang Ninh in November, and other cities and provinces in December.
“The ranking will help the VNTG classify tour guides and provide better service,” said Dung.
“It’s a part of capacity development for the Viet Nam Tourism Association in the execution of the tourism law to foster sustainable and responsible tourism in Viet Nam.”
The competition will include tests about knowledge on national history, culture and destinations, tourists’ tastes and demands, international cultural exchange, accommodation and transport, and tourism healthcare.
Under the 2017 Tourism Law, VNTG was established to protect tour guides’ rights and reputations.
Vu The Binh, vice chairman of the VITA, also announced that the Viet Nam International Travel Mart will be organised on March 27-30 next year in Ha Noi with the theme Green Tourism. — VNS