In what seems to be yet another attempt to boost poor tourism numbers, the Vietnamese government has told customs officials to be nice or else.
Related Articles:
- Vietnam “Likely” To Give Visa Waivers For UK, France, Australia, Others
- Vietnam Mulls Adding More Countries To Waiver List, Extends Stays For Visa-Free Visitors
- 33% Of Foreign Tourists Return To Vietnam: Survey
The new regulation from the Ministry of Finance states that officers who harass tourists will be dismissed from their jobs or “face other sanctions,” according to Thanh Nien.
In addition, “the ministry recently sent a note to the customs departments of some provinces and cities that have international airports and seaports, requiring their officers to "improve their attitude" towards passengers,” wrote the paper.
The note specifically called out acts of harassment against tourists and said that customs officers may only check exiting passenger’s bags when “prohibited products are detected.”
After 12 consecutive months of declining international arrivals, Vietnamese officials seem to be pulling out all the stops to reverse the trend. Earlier this week, officials from the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism said that the country is set to waive visas for a number of nationalities.
[Photo via Tuoi Tre]
