Although born very early and plays an important role in the transport system but the last time the infrastructure and quality of rail services still failing to meet the needs of tourists, especially is international. That makes revenue from tourism and railways is always lower difficulty competing with other vehicles.
Work perfunctorily
According to the VNAT, in 2010, the country receives more than five million international tourists. However, among them 83% of visitors travel by air, the remaining land, some people choose rail negligible proportion. Although rail travel has many advantages, such as highly secure, environmentally friendly, convenient travel experience for tourists but not keen on this kind of tourism.
Explaining this, Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong, Deputy Director General of Tourism admitted, compared with countries with industry “smokeless industry” development, our country rail travel is still inadequate. Railway infrastructure (the road, track gauge) limit the speed of the ship made slow compared to other vehicles. On the other hand, quality of service on trains is limited. The country has many railroads have important implications for tourism activities, such as Ha Noi – Lao Cai, Hanoi – Vinh, TP Ho Chi Minh – Nha Trang route north – south routes of international travel to Nanning, Kunming (China). Assessment practice, the only railway line Hanoi – Lao Cai and vice versa works effectively with the rate of tourists increasing every year. Specifically, if in 2007, the percentage of visitors to this railway is to reach 57% in 2010 rose to nearly 68%. The rest, many rail tours in a state other work perfunctorily. Such as Hanoi – Nam Ninh, Ha Noi – Quang Ninh even be put into operation since 2009 but so far attracted very few tourists. grades so that the train not only limited infrastructure, quality service on the train, about no means of transportation from the station to the sights, cumbersome exit procedures at the international routes … also causes of railway travel our country has not provided the attraction for tourists. According to the travel agents in Vietnam, only the transport of passengers by Vietnam train, not really a product rail travel. Because, to become tourism products must first meet the requirements for infrastructure and service quality. In addition, the booking form is also open vessels, making it difficult for tour operators. If the airlines, the reservation can be carried out before the year, but now the Vietnam railway has not yet applied this method. That makes international delegations, which have a habit of registered tour soon, very difficult to book in advance. Mr. Nguyen Manh Cuong said that to become attractive tourism products, the railways need to improve quality the carriages, improve service quality, hygiene and security stations. Particularly for those serving international routes, the railway needs to have a team of staff are relatively fluent in foreign languages. In addition, the rating “stars” for the tourist train to standard and set the corresponding rates are also important issues to study in the future. For business travel rail product effectiveness, and in need of close coordination between the railways and tourism. Specifically, in the station office should provide information on travel, tours, destinations … In contrast, at the travel agency must have a section providing information and plans to sell tickets to visitors.
