Op-ed: Do not let violence drive tourists away from Vietnam

Editor’s note: The following opinion was submitted to Tuoi Tre (Youth) newspaper by screenwriter Ta Tu Vu of AMF Production House.

The piece was translated from Vietnamese into English and edited by Tuoi Tre News, the daily’s English edition, for clarity, consistency, and coherence.

The recent assault on a group of foreign tourists in the center of Nha Trang in Khanh Hoa Province, south-central Vietnam was not merely a personal dispute or an isolated incident.

When videos showing attackers chasing and violently assaulting tourists with weapons spread widely online, they amounted to a direct blow to the image of Nha Trang’s tourism industry and to Vietnam’s more broadly.

A similar assault at a bar in Nha Trang took place just a month earlier.

Nha Trang has long been a source of pride for central Vietnam’s tourism sector, known for its comprehensive range of tourism products and its hospitable people.

That pride is now being shaken by the aggressive behavior of a small number of locals.

Tourists come in search of relaxation and cultural discovery.

If they instead encounter fear and distress, they will leave and take with them a negative message to millions of others.

In the digital age, a 30-second video clip of violence can do enormous damage to years of tourism promotion.

These incidents reflect a disregard for the rule of law and inflict lasting harm on the opportunities and reputation of the coastal hub.

Tourism revenues also suffer when such ugly behavior goes unchecked.

Looking at neighboring countries such as Thailand or Indonesia, violence against tourists is not treated as a routine public order offense.

In Thailand, tourism police have special powers, and group attacks on foreign visitors can carry severe prison sentences.

In some cases, authorities are prepared to permanently revoke business licenses if staff are involved in assaulting tourists.

They understand that protecting visitors is the same as protecting local and national livelihoods.

Are the current penalties imposed by local authorities still too lenient, focused only on after-the-fact responses?

It is time for authorities in Khanh Hoa Province in particular, and other localities more broadly, to adopt tougher measures, rather than stopping at verification or administrative fines after complaints arise.

The strength of a tourism destination lies not only in services and scenery, but in people.

Every effort must be made to ensure visitors feel safe and have the best possible experience, so that a positive image of the destination, and the country, can spread.

If violence against tourists is not decisively eliminated, especially as the Lunar New Year peak season approaches, Nha Trang’s famous beauty and appeal will inevitably fade.

A well-known tourism destination should not see its reputation damaged by the offensive actions of a few individuals lacking awareness.

It is time for authorities in Khanh Hoa to act firmly.