Complete the electronic ticketing system.

Báo Thừa Thiên Huế•26/05/2023

There are still shortcomings.

Last December, the Hue Imperial Citadel Conservation Center launched an electronic ticketing system. Initially, the system operated stably; however, when the Hue Imperial Citadel Complex received its highest-ever number of visitors during the April 30th & May 1st holiday, the electronic ticketing system became overloaded, leading to problems.

With large crowds and ticket-buying issues, many tour groups had to queue. At the security gate, scanning QR codes was slow, leading to long wait times and tiring visitors. Overcrowding caused congestion at the Imperial Citadel, and many people lost patience waiting.

According to Mr. Le Dinh Huy, Permanent Vice Chairman of the Thua Thien Hue Tourist Guides Association, the main problem stems from the Hue Imperial Citadel Conservation Center's lack of ticket sales locations. Even during peak visitor times, the Imperial Citadel only has two ticket counters, which are almost insufficient to meet demand, leading to overcrowding.

Furthermore, the wireless network is also unstable, making ticket purchases, payments, receipt printing, and QR code scanning very slow. Not to mention, the current tickets are quite thin; rain or hot weather can damage them, rendering them unusable. “We have proposed to the Hue Imperial City Relics Conservation Center to increase the number of ticket counters and separate the ticket sales channels for tour operators, guides, and individual visitors to reduce the burden,” Mr. Huy said.

For tour guides, the switch to electronic tickets has presented some challenges. Under the old system, if a ticket was purchased but the customer didn't visit, it could be reserved for a later group or returned. With the new system, unused tickets are canceled within two days. One tour guide stated: “Some customers change their minds at the Ngo Mon Gate and request a refund. However, issued electronic tickets are non-refundable and only valid for two days. But how can tour guides take tours to the site every day to use the tickets? If they're lucky enough to find someone to buy them back, they only get half or a third of the original price; otherwise, they just throw them away.”

Regarding this issue, Mr. Huy stated that this is also a difficulty for tour guides when implementing electronic tickets: "Some tour groups are very difficult, demanding a refund if they don't go, even though they've already bought the tickets. Or the customers might not demand a refund, but the group leader reports it to the tour company and they want their money back."

Mr. Huy suggested: "If the Hue Imperial Citadel Conservation Center could do what Vingroup or Sungroup corporations do, it would be very convenient for tour guides. They also sell electronic tickets, but they have a separate ticketing portal for travel agencies. Any agency that signs a contract will have an account opened and tickets issued through this account. If a customer does not travel, the ticket money will be retained in the system and deducted from subsequent bookings."

The tour guide also commented that using magnetic cards, with each guest having their own ticket, was very convenient, allowing anyone to enter whenever they wanted. Since the implementation of the new system, the entire group is integrated into one ticket, making it convenient to scan the code once, but it becomes difficult to manage when traveling in groups of 20-30 people. Furthermore, after scanning the code for the first group, the tour guide has to wait for the next group to enter, which is very inconvenient. Issuing individual tickets also takes a long time due to slow network speeds.

System synchronization

According to the Hue Imperial Citadel Conservation Center, the previous use of electronic tickets had many shortcomings. Daily ticket revenue management was still manual, reliability depended on the ticket seller, and problems easily arose. Therefore, the center implemented electronic tickets to improve management and overcome these shortcomings. Through electronic ticketing, management is transparent and accessible at any time, minimizing negative practices.

For the first time, this system experienced a large influx of visitors and malfunctioned during the peak period of April 30th & May 1st. Network congestion and slow speeds caused long queues for tourists. Furthermore, the unique ticketing system for historical sites, with policies for the elderly, children, and locals, meant that during peak times, slow processing led to congestion at certain points.

Mr. Le Cong Son, Deputy Director of the Hue Imperial Citadel Conservation Center, said: “It must be admitted that at that time, the center did not have a well-structured plan for receiving a large number of visitors. We have learned from experience. After the first day, which was a bit chaotic, the next day the center implemented solutions to increase ticket sales, quickly resolving the issue of visitors entering through various methods, such as using stamps to confirm entry if scanning the QR code failed.”

The above situation occurred due to the lack of synchronization in the machinery system and the inadequacy of the fiber optic infrastructure. Mr. Son stated: “In the initial phase of implementation, the machinery and control gates were invested in gradually, with some upgrades being reused, so the technology was not yet synchronized. The network connection was weak, leading to errors and delays. The online payment system was implemented in collaboration with Vietcombank, but this bank's payment gateway lacked interbank functionality, causing delays for customers. Afterward, the center implemented a solution: if payment for the ticket was confirmed via phone, the customer was allowed to enter.”

To address this issue, the first step for the Hue Imperial Citadel Conservation Center is to upgrade its technological infrastructure. Currently, the center has developed a project to invest in a synchronized fiber optic Wi-Fi system for the entire historical site. This will provide a foundation for a robust information technology infrastructure with stable transmission. Simultaneously, further investment will be made to standardize equipment and machinery, replacing outdated equipment that is no longer effective. During peak seasons, the Hue Imperial Citadel Conservation Center will proactively implement measures to increase staffing and deploy more ticket sales points to distribute visitor traffic. To facilitate online payments and reduce the need for in-person ticket purchases, the center will partner with the VNPAY payment gateway to complete its online payment system.

With the peak summer tourist season approaching, a large number of visitors are expected. Travel agencies have expressed their desire for the Hue Imperial Citadel Conservation Center to upgrade the electronic ticketing system to better serve tourists. "The center has researched and worked with relevant units to implement the next steps to complete the electronic ticketing system," Mr. Son emphasized.

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