Vietnam to launch third tourism publicity program on CNN
No more paper-based cards for tour guides in Sept
By Dao Loan - The Saigon Times Daily
HCMC – The image of Vietnam’s tourism will reappear on CNN channel this year as part of a national tourism promotion program just approved by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism.
This will be Vietnam’s third publicity program for the tourism sector on this international news network after the first in 2007, and the second last year. The country’s tourism products and services will also be advertised in some international magazines.
Joining international tourism trade fairs and exhibitions is another option in the program. Vietnam will be present at six major foreign travel events – JATA World Tourism Congress and Travel Fair in Japan, TRAVEX 2011, and ITB Asia in Singapore, MITT in Russia, ITB Berlin, and FITUR travel fair in Spain.
The ministry will also organize three roadshows – one in Australia, one in Taiwan and one in Myanmar, familiarization trips for markets such as Europe, Northeast Asia, China, ASEAN, and those for the media in major markets like Russia, England, China and the U.S.
* The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) has told the provincial Departments of Culture, Sports and Tourism to issue new plastic cards for professional tour guides to replace paper-based cards due on September 1.
A document signed by VNAT deputy head Nguyen Manh Cuong says the departments should get their job done by August.
The change is required by the Tourism Law which forces tour guides to obtain professional cards. So around 6,000 professional card holders who work as guides for international tourists will have their cards changed to the electronic plastic. About 4,000 other tour guides for domestic tourists, who now have certificates issued by their travel companies, will also have to register for the new card at the administration.
Under the law, along with professional skills for guiding international tourists, guides must own an English proficiency certificate such as TOEFL, IELTS or TOEIC. Guides who specialize in other languages should have similar certificates for that language.
When their new cards fall due, cardholders will have to take a test to prove their qualifications before card renewal.
The departments of culture, sports and tourism will issue the cards and upload forms, card numbers, expiry dates and other relevant information on the Internet for tour guides.