Improve service quality
Circular 85/2019/TT-BTC issued by the Ministry of Finance provides guidance on the list, principles, and bases for determining the collection, exemption, reduction, management, and use of fees and charges under the decision-making authority of the People's Councils of provinces and centrally-run cities. According to the Circular, in the list of fees under the authority of the People's Councils of provincial level, there are fees for visiting scenic spots (under local management); fees for visiting historical sites (under local management)... The Circular clearly states that fees for visiting scenic spots, fees for visiting historical sites, and fees for visiting cultural works and museums are revenues to partially or fully cover the costs of preservation, renovation, restoration, and management of scenic spots, historical sites, cultural works, and museums, and to cover the costs of fee collection activities.
The Management Board of Tan Trao Historical, Cultural and Ecological Relic Site is the earliest unit in the province to implement the collection of entrance fees. Fee collection has been implemented here since the 90s.
Mr. Ly Manh Thang, Deputy Director in charge of the Provincial Museum, said that every year, the revenue from ticket sales here has increased. 40% of the budget is retained to pay salaries for 15 contract employees (including tour guides and security guards), 60% is spent on career activities. In 2022 alone, revenue from ticket sales here reached more than 2.4 billion VND.
Items in the Tan Trao Special National Relic Site are regularly restored and repaired from entrance fees.
According to Mr. Thang, this source of funding, in addition to paying salaries for contract employees, also greatly supports the restoration and conservation of items in the Special Relic Site. Because most of the items are made of natural materials such as bamboo and palm leaves, after a short period of time, the weather damages many items, such as mold, termites, etc.
At many tourist attractions, the collection of entrance and service fees has also begun to be implemented. For example, at Khuoi Nhi waterfall, Thuong Lam commune (Lam Binh), although there is no entrance fee, each visitor will pay 10,000 VND for environmental sanitation fee implemented by Thuong Lam Youth Cooperative.
Mr. Chau Thanh Nga, Secretary of the Youth Union of Thuong Lam commune, said: Every day, the Khuoi Nhi waterfall tourist site welcomes dozens of tourist groups to visit and experience, so the amount of waste left by tourists is not small. Previously, the activities of visiting this place took place spontaneously, littering had a negative impact on the environment and landscape. The Thuong Lam Youth Cooperative was assigned by the People's Committee of Lam Binh district to take charge of maintaining the environmental hygiene of the waterfall area and ensuring the safety of tourists. The collection of environmental sanitation fees at this tourist site has been effective in recent times, not only maintaining environmental hygiene but also giving visitors a tour guide, experience or warning them of dangerous areas by the members of the Cooperative.
| Resolution No. 24/2022/NQ-HDND of the Provincial People's Council dated December 10, 2022 stipulates: ► Entrance fee for special national scenic spots or higher: 40 thousand VND/time/person. ► Other scenic spots: 20 thousand VND/time/person; ► Historical site entrance fee and cultural works and museum entrance fee: 20 thousand VND/time/person. |
According to the Secretary of the Thuong Lam Commune Youth Union, this fee source is currently only enough to pay for members of the Thuong Lam Youth Cooperative to clean the environment. In the long term, in addition to guiding and protecting the environment, investment in restoration also needs to be focused on to make it more worthy of the fee collection activity.
Since the beginning of March 2023, the check-in point of the Happy Tree (Na Hang town) has been invested in and redecorated after a period of natural exploitation and has been assigned to the Town Youth Union to protect, look after and collect fees from tourists who want to check in. According to Mr. Le Van Thai, Secretary of the Town Youth Union, before being assigned to a specific unit to look after and collect fees, this check-in point, although beautiful, was quite shabby, due to free-range livestock, waste from visitors, etc. After being invested in and looked after, the Town Youth Union arranged for security guards and regular cleaners, and at the same time, had a plan to replace trees and flowers planted around the check-in point seasonally, both contributing to ensuring environmental hygiene and increasing the aesthetics of this area.
Responsibility to the destination
According to Mr. Le Thanh Son, Deputy Director of the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of the province, the collection of fees at tourist attractions in the province has been specifically regulated in Resolution No. 24/2022/NQ-HDND dated December 10, 2022. Because this Resolution is quite new, currently, in the province, only Tan Trao Special National Monument, the check-in point of Happy Tree and Khuoi Nhi Waterfall... collect service fees.
Recently, based on the synthesis of proposals from agencies, units, and People's Committees of districts and cities, the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism reported to the Provincial People's Committee for consideration and approval of scenic spots; historical relics; and cultural works in the province.
According to comrade Son, the collection of fees at relic sites and scenic spots not only covers the costs of collecting, managing and using the revenue from sightseeing fees at the unit, but also supplements the budget for regular activities and the preservation, restoration and repair of relics and museums. At the same time, it contributes to further improving the quality of services for visitors, and gradually raises awareness and creates awareness and habits for people in contributing to the preservation and promotion of the value of the nation's cultural heritage.
Article and photos: Nguyen Dat - Ngoc Hung
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