The dangers of group trekking and finding strangers to accompany you

The incident in which a female tourist reported being harassed while trekking has raised concerns about safety. The rapid increase in trekking demand coupled with lax controls can pose many potential risks.

Tourists trekking in Cat Tien National Park in July. Photo: Ngoc Duy .

In early December, a 28-year-old female tourist in Dong Nai spoke up to accuse the leader and porter of harassment during a trekking trip to Phu Sa Phin.

According to her, the GATL leader intentionally separated her from the group, continuously touched her cheeks, hugged her and demanded kisses even though she clearly showed discomfort, and even threatened to "lead her in another direction" if she did not listen.

Meanwhile, a porter named T. "forcefully" forced female guests to drink alcohol, causing her to burst into tears and requiring two other male guests to intervene.

In fact, this is not the first time female tourists have been harassed while trekking or backpacking. This situation has existed for more than 10 years, in the early days when backpacking and trekking models were still fragmented.

"It is quite common for female mountain climbers to be harassed, but few people dare to post it on social media or report it," Mr. Do Huu Nam, director of Platinum Travel, which specializes in domestic and international trekking tours, told Tri Thuc - Znews.

Female tourist accused the leader of separating her from the group. Photo: Provided by the character.

The first warning

According to Mr. Nam, the initial negative incidents were mainly related to backpacking trips, when the "xe-om" pairing model left a bad image in the community. Later, the trekking trend flourished, this situation spread to mountain climbing trips, affecting the psychology of tourists and interested people.

The most serious incident was when a tour guide from a large company in Quang Binh (now Quang Tri) was accused of sneaking into a private tent to harass tourists during a trip to explore Pygmy Cave in 2023.

"That was the first warning," said Mr. Nam, adding that the main cause still comes from human factors , often conflicts or harassment between tourists and tour guides, or between tourists themselves.

In addition, the limitation lies in the organization and management . Laxity from the management agency creates conditions for unreliable and untrained units to operate rampantly.

At the corporate level, massive recruitment according to market demand makes it difficult for many units to control the quality of human resources.

"Just one case of wrongdoing can affect the reputation of the whole group," he said.

Tourists flock to Lung Cung peak despite the muddy road, November 15. Photo: Nguyen Trong Cung.

Meanwhile, Mr. Le Cong Nang, General Director of Wondertour Travel Company, said that there are currently two popular forms of tourism: traveling in a private group and going on a group tour.

Private tours include members who know each other, the travel agency signs a contract directly with the tour leader. Group tours include many guests who do not know each other, "collected" by the company according to a fixed departure schedule. Depending on the number of guests, the company will arrange a suitable tour guide and driver.

Regarding the trend of finding companions on social networking groups, Mr. Nam believes that many groups operate without professional censorship.

Groups even remove climbers or experts when they share information because they are concerned about affecting the interests of administrators. Some groups also regularly post unverified "exposé" posts, causing information confusion.

Members mainly join group tours, not knowing each other's identities, occupations or backgrounds.

"In that context, girls easily become targets of bad guys," he said.

The growth of independent travel has led to a sharp increase in the demand for travel companions. Many group leaders call on members through associations, prioritizing low costs so they choose economical accommodation, even setting up tents to sleep overnight.

"Although there are many civilized groups, there are still disguised backpacking groups, causing many female tourists to be sexually harassed or abused," said Mr. Nang.

Recommendations

A representative of a unit specializing in organizing trekking tours to the Northwest said that tourists, especially women, need to follow some basic principles:

• Do not drink too much alcohol because it is dangerous on the mountain, it is easy to lose alertness and reduce the ability to protect yourself.
• Notify group members when leaving the common area to use the restroom, go to the stream, or move to another location.
• If you feel uncomfortable with someone, say so or leave. Simply stating " I don't agree with this " can be enough to get the other person to stop. If that doesn't work, find someone you trust to support you.

Tourists check in at Lung Cung peak. This trekking route is about 18 km long in two days and one night, with average difficulty. Photo: Bui Van Chuyen .

Mr. Nang said that the tour guides at the company are trained and follow the rules: no alcohol or stimulants; sleep in internal rooms according to gender; absolutely do not sleep in the same room with guests. Individual male and female guests will be arranged in private rooms with an additional charge.

Guests are advised to stick to the group, not to consume alcoholic beverages in the evening, not to go out after curfew and never to go alone in deserted places. Before going to bed, both men and women should lock the door from the inside to avoid theft or other risks.

In addition, women who want to join a group need to clearly understand the reputation of the organizing group , invite acquaintances, especially men, to share the car and ensure safety throughout the journey.

The group of tourists trekking the 8 Fairies route (old Ninh Thuan) with a distance of 14 km is considered a "breathable" route for beginners. Photo: Quynh Danh.

Sharing the same view, Mr. Nam advised tourists to avoid traveling alone, it is best to go in groups of two or more and have a male companion. When booking a tour, tourists should choose a reputable agency that is recommended by many people.

Businesses should also provide proper training on customer protection , instead of just thinking about adding staff or arranging female tour guides.

"Tour companies should also build safe links and cooperate with long-standing reputable agencies to limit risks," he said.

Source: https://znews.vn/hiem-hoa-tu-trekking-ghep-doan-tim-nguoi-la-dong-hanh-post1608704.html