Efforts intensified to prevent foreigners’ illegal tourism business

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) has asked for closer coordination among its chapters in localities nationwide to take strong measures to deal with illegal tourism businesses operated by foreigners in Vietnam.

According to the administration, there is a growing number of foreigners, mainly from China and the Republic of Korea (RoK), taking advantage of the ease of entry into Vietnam to operate illegal tax-fraud international travel business activities.

This is causing security issues and is also seriously affecting the local tourism business environment in Vietnam, the agency said.

Towards the end of 2015 and earlier this year, the Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Da Nang city and Khanh Hoa province detected several violation cases, and imposed fines on two Chinese nationals and 13 from the RoK, who colluded with a number of Vietnamese firms and individuals to illegally provide tourism services.

Notably, Chinese violators used the Wechat smartphone app to unlawfully sell  of Vietnam to Chinese citizens.

To solve the issue, the VNAT requires relevant agencies to enhance supervision of travel agencies across the country and strictly handle cases in violation of the law, especially Vietnamese organisations and individuals that are abetting foreigners in the practice.

The list of violators is also being published on localities' official websites.

VNA