Three travel agents were given administrative penalties and deprived of their international travel business licences, Huy said, adding that authorities imposed total fines of US $17,000 on 58 tour guides, halted the operation of 16 shops selling goods to Chinese tourists and punished four others for trade violations.

He said that travel companies are rushing to sell their tour packages, especially to Chinese holiday-makers. To make up input costs of accommodation, restaurants and transport, their budget tours include visits to shopping destinations that tend to disappoint travellers.

According to Le Minh Tan, Vice Director of the provincial Tourism Department, state management agencies and the travel business community have fixed the floor price of each four-day three-night tour at US $74.8 - US $88. Besides, the move will ensure tourism quality while protecting travellers’ interests. Further inspections will be carried out based on tour contracts to ensure sound management of international tours.

The People’s Committee of Mong Cai city (Quang Ninh province) recently withdrew business licences from eight shopping malls for tourists as part of the efforts to clean the tourism business environment. Those include Gia Loi, Kim Nguyen Plaza, Tinh hoa Viet, Thuong truong Phuong Dong, Mong Cai Plaza, Vinh Phat centre, Kim Dao Hue Nguyen and Duong Vu Centre which specialises in distributing Vietnamese specialties.