Vietnamese tour guides will be ranked on the basis of their capacity, knowledge and experience, said Bùi Văn Dũng, vice chairman of the Việt Nam Tour Guides Association (VNTG) during a press conference held yesterday in Hà Nội.
Vietnamese tour guides will be ranked on the basis of their knowledge and skills. — VNS Photo Hồng Hạnh
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 Dũng.
The VNTG received support from the Việt Nam Administration of Tourism, the Việt 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 Hà Nội and Quảng Ninh in November, and other cities and provinces in December.
“The ranking will help the VNTG classify tour guides and provide better service,” said Dũng.
“It’s a part of capacity development for the Việt Nam Tourism Association in the execution of the tourism law to foster sustainable and responsible tourism in Việt 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.
Vũ Thế Bình, vice chairman of the VITA, also announced that the Việt Nam International Travel Mart will be organised on March 27-30 next year in Hà Nội with the theme Green Tourism. — VNS