Tourist firms anxious about electricity price increases
17:03' 10/04/2009 (GMT+7)  
VietNamNet Bridge – Enterprises in the tourism industry have been trying to slash tour fees
to stimulate the demand. However, the input costs have been increasing, including the
electricity, petrol and railway fares, making the efforts become insignificant, according to
Deputy Minister of Culture, Sports and Tourism Tran Chien Thang.
On April 9, Thang said at a workshop on tourism that the ministry has called on enterprises
in the tourism sector to slash tour fees as responding to the Government’s demand stimulus
campaign.
In early January of this year, 37 big travel firms, 61 three to five-star hotels, three carriers
and 14 shops agreed to join forces to run the tourism promotion program “Impressive
Vietnam,” which offers between 30-50% in fee reductions for 99 tours, aiming to attract
more international travelers and encourage domestic travel.
Therefore, though the number of travelers decreased by 18% in the first three months of
the year, there is still good news that the number of tourists coming to tourist centres like Ha
Long Bay and the central region increased.
Thang said that there lacks the cooperation between relevant ministries to ensure the
success of the promotion programs.
“The unreasonable new peak hour pricing policy is an example,” Thang said.
The Electricity of Vietnam charged almost double the normal cost if businesses use
electricity during peak hours between 9:30am and 11:30am and between 6:00pm and 8:
00pm. Meanwhile, the time between 6:00pm and 8:00pm is the main ‘production time’ of
hotels. Besides, the railway fares to tourist sites have always been raised. The petrol price
has been raised by VND 500/litre.
“We feel worried about the success of the tourism promotion program, though we know that
the prices need to be defined by the market,” Thang said.
Currently, the commodity prices have been floating which are defined by the market’s
supply and demand. Meanwhile, the state only controls the prices of several key
commodities.
Thang has been instating on the close cooperation of relevant ministries and branches to
find out a common voice in implementing the Government’s initiated program on stimulating
the demand.
Meanwhile, Director of the Travel Department under the Vietnam National Administration of
Tourism, Vu The Binh, complained that the majority of vehicles carrying tourists still cannot
meet the requirements in quality, while the number of coaches remains very low.
Meanwhile, the tax rates imposed on the vehicles are relatively high, as the vehicles are
referred to as consumer products, though the vehicles prove to be the main ‘production
material’ of the tourism sector. The high tax rates have made many enterprises unable to
import the vehicles.
Thang said that the ministry is collecting information about the factors that have impacts on
the industry and it will make proposals to the Government on the solutions to help support
the industry.
In the latest news, the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Communication and the Ministry of
Transport are compiling the draft document on providing services of carrying tourists, which
says that tourist buses will be allowed to go into the inner cities for all hours of the day.
The draft document also says that the buses used for carrying tourists must have the
mileage of less than 10 years.
VietNamNet, TBKTVN


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