Directive No. 07/2000/CT-TTg On Strengthening Order, Security, and Environmental Sanitation at Tourist Sites

DIRECTIVE OF THE PRIME MINISTER

On strengthening the maintenance of order, security, and environmental sanitation at tourist sites and travel destinations.

At tourist sites and travel destinations, the country has advantageous geographical positions for international exchanges, numerous scenic spots, historical and cultural relics, artistic sites, and the people are rich in hospitality; these are favorable conditions for developing tourism into an important economic and social sector of the nation.

In recent years, along with the construction and development of economic and cultural areas, many tourist sites have been renovated and constructed to serve millions of domestic and foreign visitors, contributing positively to introducing the country, its people, and Vietnamese culture in the national economic and social development efforts. However, the organization and management of tourist areas generally, especially maintaining order, safety, and environmental sanitation at tourist sites, still have many shortcomings. The phenomenon of unregulated business and service activities, such as aggressive selling, price gouging, soliciting customers, begging, gambling, even fraud and theft from tourists, is increasing, causing public dissatisfaction and reducing the attractiveness of tourist sites, negatively impacting the image of the country and its people.

To address the above situation, clean up and improve the tourism environment, ensure sustainable tourism development, and build a civilized and cultured image of Vietnamese tourism, the Prime Minister requests the heads of relevant sectors, levels, and Chairpersons of provincial People's Committees to focus on resolving the following matters:

Review, organize, and plan business and service activities at all tourist sites, particularly those with historical and cultural relics and scenic spots frequently visited by tourists. All business and service activities must comply with laws and regulations governing tourist sites; terminate illegal stall operations and street vending at tourist sites; eliminate begging, customer solicitation, price gouging, and other activities that disrupt order and security, which are inconsistent with local customs and traditions.

1.Review ticket sales and fee collection procedures for tourist visits; suspend the operation of stations and points that sell tickets and collect fees in violation of current regulations, while reorganizing and arranging them for convenience for all visitors, especially at scenic spots and historical and cultural sites frequently visited by tourists.

2.Strengthen inspections and implement appropriate management measures for production and service activities that may cause pollution or affect the scenic environment, as well as the lives and health of residents and tourists. Simultaneously, take preventive measures to promptly stop the spread of diseases to and from tourist sites.

3.The Chairpersons of provincial People's Committees need to direct the Tourism, Culture-Information, and Public Security departments to closely cooperate in intensifying propaganda and widely disseminating information among the people about maintaining order, security, and environmental sanitation, and the benefits of doing so for overall tourism development, especially for local tourism development, so that the people understand clearly and voluntarily participate in building a civilized behavior pattern, maintaining order and security, and preserving environmental sanitation at tourist sites.

4.The Ministry of Culture-Information and provincial People's Committees must direct competent agencies and authorities at all levels to strengthen management, preservation, maintenance, and renovation of historical and cultural relics and scenic spots, while strictly inspecting and handling all violations to create a healthy cultural environment, attractive right within each historical and cultural site and tourist location.

5.The Ministries of Public Security, Science and Technology, Health, Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs, and Culture-Information must cooperate with the General Administration of Tourism and provincial People's Committees to direct local functional agencies to regularly inspect and supervise compliance with regulations on maintaining order and security and ensuring environmental sanitation at tourist sites, promptly and strictly handle any violations according to the law, bring tourism business activities under regulation, and firmly prevent and severely punish any cases of exploiting tourism development or religious beliefs to illegally occupy land designated for tourist sites, construct houses, shrines, or temples for profit or to promote superstitious practices contrary to local customs and traditions.

6.The Ministries of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and Public Security must urgently implement measures to support and create conditions for localities to encourage and assist those in difficult circumstances, disabled individuals, and vagrants who rely on tourist sites for survival to return to their hometowns for livelihood, while directing local functional agencies to concentrate forces to resolve the issue of begging and customer solicitation for sales at tourist sites, especially historical and cultural sites, decisively.

7.The General Administration of Tourism must cooperate with ministries and sectors to guide localities in constructing tourist routes and sites according to tourism planning.

8.Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of government-affiliated agencies, and Chairpersons of provincial People's Committees directly under the Central Government must urgently organize the implementation of this Directive. The General Administration of Tourism is responsible for compiling the situation and reporting to the Prime Minister on the implementation of this Directive.

The Ministers, Heads of ministerial-level agencies, Heads of government-affiliated agencies, Chairpersons of provincial people's committees under the direct control of the central government shall promptly organize the implementation of this Directive. The Tourism Administration shall be responsible for compiling the situation and reporting to the Prime Minister on the implementation of this Directive./.