Tour guides join associations so they can keep their jobs

“I am looking for a solution. Maybe I will apply to join the tourism association in Can Tho City first, and later join a tour guide association. I have no more time to do this,” said Ut, a tour guide in Can Tho City.

Ut, like thousands of freelance tour guides all over the country, are worried as they may lose jobs because of the new Tourism Law, which takes effect in early 2018.

At present, they just need to have a tour guide card and a casual contract with travel firms to practice as a tour guide. However, when the new law takes effect, they will have to have labor contracts signed with travel firms, or companies that provide tour guide services.

They have another choice, however: becoming a member of a tourism/tour guide association.

The majority of tour guides are freelancers. It is difficult to become an officer of travel firms, because the firms only sign labor contracts with a few tour guides. In most cases, they hire freelance tour guides for specific cases. 

Vietnam still doesn’t have any company which provides professional guide services. This means that in order to obtain the right to practice, freelance tour guides have one choice – joining professional associations.

In November 2017, the Vietnam Tourism Association set up Tour Guide Association.

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) said it is necessary to tighten control over tour guides after cases of swindling of travelers and use of counterfeit degrees were discovered.

Also, many tour guides complain that as they are freelancers, they are not covered under a social insurance policy. 

VNAT believes that tour guides need to belong certain institutions to have their own interests protected.

According to the Tour Guides Association, about 14,000 tour guides, or 70%, don’t have social insurance. The association will cooperate with the Vietnam Social Insurance to help tour guides pay insurance premiums more easily. 

However, tour guides do not believe they will find real benefits when joining the association. They complain they are under coercion because of administrative instructions.

At present, to get a practice card, tour guides have to pay a fee. When their cards expire, they will have to pay several millions of dong to attend training courses and attend exams. If they pass, they will have to pay money again for new cards. 

In the near future, when they become members of professional associations, they will have to pay a membership fee as well.