Tour guide who loves his job competes on TV for the first time

The competition officially launched on September 18th, attracting significant attention from the community of tour guides, travel businesses, and tourism students. In a short time, over 1,034 contestants registered online, eager to prove their skills in a formal competition.

From a record number of applications, the organizing committee selected 65 outstanding contestants to advance to the preliminary round and subsequent challenge rounds. In each part of the competition, contestants had to demonstrate their knowledge of culture and history, problem-solving skills, presentation abilities, interaction with tour groups, and other qualities necessary for a professional tour guide.

Hướng dẫn viên du lịch yêu nghề lần đầu tranh tài trên truyền hình- Ảnh 1. — This is the first time it has been organized in a reality TV format.

The biggest new feature for 2025 is the reality TV version, combining talent competitions, training, and experiences right at the city's iconic destinations. This format is expected to bring the tour guide profession closer to the public, while also realistically reflecting the pressures and resilience of those working in the field.

The competition segments were filmed at a series of iconic destinations such as the Ho Chi Minh City Post Office , the Reunification Hall, the Ho Chi Minh City History Museum, the Saigon Zoo, Ben Thanh Market, Metro Line 1, Landmark 81 Skyview, cultural and culinary streets, heritage sites, and the Thieng Lieng community tourism site (Can Gio).

Hướng dẫn viên du lịch yêu nghề lần đầu tranh tài trên truyền hình- Ảnh 2. — Tour guides will film the challenge at the Ho Chi Minh City History Museum.

Speaking at the press conference, Ms. Bui Thi Ngoc Hieu, Deputy Director of the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism and Head of the Organizing Committee, said: "This year's competition not only assesses professional skills but also focuses on the ability to adapt to real-life situations, which is the most important skill for tour guides in the context of a constantly changing tourism industry. Besides knowledge, contestants must know how to inspire, create positive experiences, and represent the image of the city's tourism."

Accompanying this year's event is Vias Hospitality System - the main sponsor. Mr. Le Thanh Binh, General Director of Vias Hospitality, emphasized: "Tour guides are the first people to touch the emotions of tourists. Investing in improving the quality of this team is key to raising the standards of tourism services in Ho Chi Minh City."