At the conference on improving tourism environment held last week, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism made 10 urgent measures to improve Vietnam's tourism image. They include: providing information on health, security via the Internet and travel publications; making public the standard destinations, services and recommended of the places where tourists should not visit; installing cameras at some destinations where are reported with robbery; making plan for tourism activities in cities; setting up the forces to receive information and complaints of tourists; calling for peddlers to not overcharge and make fraud against tourists.

The Ministry also proposed to establish the tourist police force to protect tourists, based on experience from Thailand. This country set up 353 tourist police stations in 56 provinces to protect tourists. Some of Thailand's provinces have installed CCTV systems in key tourist destinations to ensure the safety of tourists.

Some localities offered their solutions to attract tourists such as the role of the community from the experience of Hoi An town, setting up a hotline for tourists in Nha Trang and Binh Thuan; making public service prices in Sam Son, establishing the voluntary youth force to protect tourists in HCM City...

Speaking at the conference, Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan agreed with the measures that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism launched for the purpose of "Vietnam - an attractive, safe, friendly and civilized destination."

He requested the establishment of support centers for tourists at major destinations and the tourist police force. However, it is difficult to implement it right this year so the Deputy PM asked the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism to assign the order police to temporarily undertake the functions to ensure the safety of visitors.

"The smile of visitors is the future of tourism in Vietnam. We must take the satisfaction of tourists as the premise for long-term, sustainable development of Vietnam tourism," said the Deputy PM.

Vietnamnet