To protect tourists who are common victims of petty theft and scams, the establishment of a tourist police force has been proposed by the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Culture, Sports, and Tourism.

  La Quoc Khanh, deputy director of the department believes that this move will largely help improve the tourism sector. According to him, the new force will be tasked to follow a slew of widely reported cases involving foreign tourists either being scammed, victims of theft, or constantly bothered by vendors who are selling overpriced souvenirs. There have been numerous cases reported by foreign tourists on being overcharged by taxi drivers and cheated by hotel employees. Additionally, heavier fines are suggested to be imposed on crimes against tourists, such as overcharging, stealing and harassment from peddlers. In line with its proposal, he said the agency said it has been ineffective in improving tourist security because of the lack of policy allowing its inspectors to operate in a specialized manner.

  During the conference on improvement of tourism environment, held by the Government’s Steering Board for Tourism, Khanh said that the reported incidents on tourists being taken advantage of has been increasing and the need for a strengthened police force is really urgent.  In backing his argument, Khanh pointed out how neighboring countries such as Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Singapore have already established such forces and have successfully protected their tourist with such measures.

  Some tour operators welcome the idea as the presence of tourist police will make tourists feel safe. While the establishment of the force is considered a promising measure to tackle crime in the tourism sector, some people have argued that it its challenges and have even attracted a hailstorm of criticism over its feasibility. Many are not convinced that tourist police would be of much help. Another issue raised against the proposal is how it will bring about a negative effect on the country’s image.

  Deputy Prime Minister Nguyen Thien Nhan, head of the government’s steering board on tourism, acknowledge the proposal  but admits it is not something that can be implemented in a short time. He also supported the idea of setting up a tourist support center at key tourism destinations, as well as to open local tourism fairs to introduce more products to holidaymakers.

  He stated that there are many other aspects involving tourism that needs improvement. Tightening checks on taxi operations, making free Wi-Fi more accessible in public areas and key destinations, as well as ensuring the availability of clean restrooms for tourists also need to be immediate given attention. In fact, Nhan pointed out a recent survey that shows only 26 percent of the restrooms at tourism spots in HCMC meet proper standards.

  The need of educating the people involved in tourism services about the long-term negative effects of scamming and theft and the damage it does to the country’s reputation is also seen as a driving factor in helping solve the issue.

  Spain was the first country to establish dedicated tourist police patrols at tourist destinations, while Thailand was the first in Asia to create a similar police force.