Vietnam Tours & Travel “Despite the fact that summer is always the high season of domestic tourism, there is a big shortage of tourist guides in this time period. Besides the happiness coming from increasing tour registration, travel agents are in worry about tourist guide supplies.”
In addition to their available tourist guides, travel agents usually use free seasonal ones as collabrators. However, they are not their offical employees then it is difficult for those agents to choose the reliable ones. In many cases, members of a company such as tour operators, heads of divisions, even senior staff are asked to do the work of tourist guides.
Due to the difficult situation, some travel companies even recruit students from tourism training colleges. These students can only be assistants and apprentices for tour guides because of their lack of experience. A tour guide needs not only broad knowledge but also ability to create joyful environment and cheer tourists up.
Those difficulties have made many travel companies skip the customers’ tour orders for prestigious reasons. Besides, many of them still use unqualified guides that both violates the Tourism Law and deteriorates tourism industry’s image.
To overcome this obstacle and facilitate training and certificating, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) has assigned 11 training centers to offer tour guide training courses and test foreign language ability:
1. College of Social Science and Humanity – Vietnam National University, Hanoi
2. Hanoi Open University
3. Hai Phong Tourism Vocational Training College
4. Sai Gon Private Tourism Vocational Training School
5. Da Lat University
6. Da Nang University of Economics – The Universities of Da Nang
7. Hue Tourism College
8. Van Hien University, Ho Chi Minh City
9. Dong A University
10. Ha Long Culture Art and Tourism College
11. Faculty of Tourism, Hue University
Recently, Hanoi Open University has been authorized by the VNAT to organize tests on tour guide skills and certificating for needed people in the north, due in June and August this year. Source: TITC
