Recently, IShowSpeed, a popular YouTuber and streamer with 29.8 million followers on YouTube, visited Vietnam to participate in an event held in Ho Chi Minh City.
However, on September 14th, during his visit, this young man was charged 1 million VND per hour to rent a self-balancing electric scooter on Nguyen Hue pedestrian street – one of the famous tourist destinations in Ho Chi Minh City. Although the exorbitant amount wasn't huge, this incident quickly spread on social media, tarnishing Vietnam's image in the eyes of the international community.
Immediately after receiving the information, the Ben Nghe Ward Police, District 1, quickly launched an investigation. Those involved in the incident were summoned to the police station for questioning on the night of September 14th.
After working with the authorities, the group realized their mistake and went to the hotel where IShowSpeed was staying to apologize. A representative from IShowSpeed accepted the apology, received the money back, and thanked the authorities for handling the case quickly.
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| The people renting out electric balance scooters in streamer IshowSpeed's clip - (Screenshot). |
This is not just an isolated incident; it highlights a long-standing business mentality in Vietnam's tourism and service industry: the practice of overcharging. Foreign tourists, even those with travel experience, often fall victim to these price gouging tactics.
This isn't just happening in Ho Chi Minh City; it's spreading to many other places. For example, in Hanoi , especially in the Old Quarter – a popular tourist area – there have been numerous cases of vendors overcharging tourists, causing public outrage. These cases have all been handled strictly, publicly, and transparently by the authorities. Examples include selling a small bag of apples for 200,000 VND, four donuts for 50,000 VND, and a baked sweet potato for 80,000 VND…
Or, in 2019, a French couple shared on social media about being overcharged at a restaurant in Hoi An. The amount they had to pay was many times higher than the usual price, tarnishing the image of the ancient city, which is famous for its hospitality.
Some tourists have also shared their experiences of being subjected to unwanted services. Max Foulds, a tourist, recounted how a street vendor cleaned his shoes without asking for the price beforehand. While not a serious issue, such experiences still affect tourists' perceptions of our country.
Ms. Le Thanh Thao, Head of the Hanoi Tourism Association, pointed out that price gouging is making tourists wary and no longer feel comfortable traveling. This not only affects the quality of tour programs but also discourages tourists from returning to destinations.
According to statistics, in August 2024, the number of international visitors to Vietnam reached 1.43 million, an increase of 17.7% compared to the same period last year. For the first eight months of 2024, the number of international visitors to Vietnam reached over 11.4 million, an increase of 45.8% compared to the same period last year and a 1% increase compared to the same period in 2019 – a year before the Covid-19 pandemic.
The recovery of Vietnam's tourism industry is impressive, especially for the international market. Vietnam has enormous tourism potential, from stunning natural landscapes and unique culture to friendly people. However, if we cannot change our mindset and business practices, Vietnam may gradually lose its attractiveness to international tourists. The problem of price gouging is not just the individual actions of a few business owners, but also reflects a part of the mindset in service delivery in many places.
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| The IshowSpeed incident highlights how the practice of overcharging tourists is tarnishing Vietnam's image in the eyes of visitors - (Screenshot). |
Mr. Pham Hai Quynh, Director of the Asian Tourism Development Institute, emphasized the need to strengthen propaganda and education to raise community awareness in serving tourists, only then can we exploit and develop sustainable tourism. Simultaneously, local authorities need to implement stricter control measures over the activities of street vendors. They should also monitor and severely punish violations of the law. Furthermore, it is necessary to strengthen the camera system and improve security in tourist areas to ensure the safety of visitors.
The practice of overcharging is not just a matter of price; it reflects dishonest business practices that deeply damage the country's image. When international tourists come to Vietnam, they expect to experience the culture, people, and services with genuine hospitality. However, when faced with inflated prices, those positive expectations quickly vanish.
Instead of being impressed by beautiful landscapes or rich culture, many tourists leave feeling exploited and disrespected. This not only erodes their trust in Vietnam's tourism industry but also risks generating complaints and criticism on international forums, tarnishing Vietnam's image in the eyes of the world. In the age of social media, negative incidents can spread rapidly, causing significant and long-lasting damage to the tourism industry, which is one of the country's economic pillars.
Faced with the problem of price gouging damaging the image of Vietnamese tourism, the Vietnam National Tourism Administration has taken concrete steps to improve the situation. The Administration has requested local authorities to direct tourism management boards, travel agencies, and tourism service businesses to strengthen self-inspection and monitoring to maintain service quality, ensure food safety and hygiene, and protect the environment at tourist destinations.
Businesses are required to strictly comply with regulations on registration and public price listing, placing price lists in the reception area and other easily visible locations to help tourists access information before using services. Arbitrary price increases or price gouging are strictly prohibited to prevent negative impacts on the reputation and image of Vietnam's tourism industry in the eyes of international tourists.
Authorities should establish a hotline to allow tourists to report issues related to price gouging, thereby enabling timely and public handling of violations. Furthermore, imposing strict penalties on businesses engaging in fraudulent practices and price gouging will create a strong deterrent, helping to prevent this problem from recurring.
Source: https://congthuong.vn/tu-vu-ishowspeed-loai-bo-ngay-tu-duy-chat-chem-lam-xau-xi-hinh-anh-du-lich-viet-nam-346255.html
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