Khanh Hoa tour operators urge support for Russian speaking workforce
VOV.VN - Tourism businesses in Vietnam’s coastal province of Khanh Hoa are calling for urgent solutions to address a growing shortage of Russian-speaking personnel as arrivals from Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) countries are forecast to surge over the next two years.
According to the Khanh Hoa Tourism Association, international tour operators handling most charter flights from Russia and the CIS have proposed support mechanisms to help meet rising demand for Russian-language services. The companies include ABTOURS, ANEX Vietnam, Crystal Bay Vietnam, Selfie Travel Vietnam, Viet One, AMEGA and Pegas Misr Vietnam.
They estimated that Khanh Hoa could welcome between 1.2 million and 1.5 million visitors from Russia and CIS countries in 2026-2027, potentially surpassing pre-pandemic levels.
Despite the tourism rebound, businesses said the number of licensed Russian-speaking international tour guides has not kept pace with market recovery. In addition to tour guides, demand is rising for personnel capable of supporting communication, customer care and incident handling for international visitors during their stay.
Tourism firms warned that the issue is no longer an isolated operational challenge but has become a broader concern for the local tourism industry.
To ease the pressure, businesses proposed establishing a mechanism allowing the registration of language support staff, international guest service assistants and group coordinators for foreign tourists. According to the proposal, these personnel would only assist with communication and customer support, rather than replace licensed tour guides under Vietnamese tourism regulations.
The firms also suggested that authorities organise short-term training courses and issue temporary certifications for support personnel.
The proposed model would include management measures such as registration lists, corporate guarantees and periodic reporting requirements, with a pilot implementation during the 2026-2027 peak tourism period.
Pham Minh Nhut, chairman of the Khanh Hoa Tourism Association, said the projected influx of Russian and CIS visitors has made Russian-language human resources an urgent issue for the province.
“If suitable solutions are not introduced soon, the shortage could become a bottleneck affecting service quality and the effective development of one of Khanh Hoa’s key international tourism markets,” he stressed.
The Khanh Hoa Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism on May 27 met with related agencies and businesses to discuss solutions to the shortage of Russian-speaking tour guides.
Participants proposed mobilising Vietnamese people who previously studied, lived or worked in Russia as a potential workforce source, while also developing short-term training programmes aligned with business needs.
In the long run, local authorities, training institutions, tourism associations and businesses agreed on the need for closer coordination to develop a workforce with both language proficiency and practical knowledge of tourism culture, regulations and customer service skills for the Russian market.
Two international cruise ships bring over 1,600 tourists to Khanh Hoa
VOV.VN - Khanh Hoa province in central Vietnam welcomed the international cruise ship Oceania Riviera, carrying more than 1,000 passengers, at Cam Ranh International Port on April 24, with another vessel, Oceania Regatta, expected to arrive on April 25 with around 600 passengers.
