On August 23, in an exchange with reporters, Mr. Tran Ngoc Hiep - Chairman of Mu Cang Chai Commune People's Committee (Lao Cai province) - said that the Vong Lua area (or Mong Ngua Hill) is currently managed by a cooperative of 14 households.
The listed entrance fee is 30,000 VND/person/turn.
However, recently, there has been a situation where some households self-collect extra money when tourists enter huts, go down to fields to take photos or use ethnic costumes to take pictures.
These are revenues outside the general listed price.
According to Mr. Hiep, some households believe that the rice field and shack area belong to the family's managed land, so they require tourists to pay more if they want to go down to the rice field, especially in the case of wearing ethnic costumes to take photos.
Previously, images of a sign at Mong Ngua Hill with the content "Do not allow tourists to wear ethnic costumes to the field" had spread on social networks.
According to information at sea, tourists wearing ethnic costumes going to the fields had to pay an additional 50,000 VND. This image quickly caused controversy.
Leaders of Mu Cang Chai Commune People's Committee affirmed that the local government does not agree with setting fees outside the general price level.
Before the tourist season, the commune invited 14 households to work about 5 times to propagate, mobilize and agree on how to serve tourists. However, due to the inconsistent awareness and way of doing tourism of some households, the situation of additional collection still recurs" - Mr. Hiep said.
After recording feedback on the additional fee collection, Mu Cang Chai Commune Police advised the Commune People's Committee to direct departments and branches to continue to propagate and remind households.
According to the commune police, arbitrarily collecting additional fees outside the listed level not only causes frustration for tourists but can also affect the image of Mu Cang Chai tourism, especially when the locality is entering the peak season of welcoming tourists.
Fees and service prices at attractions must be announced and publicly listed for tourists to know and choose.
In case of detection of arbitrary collection of additional money, collection higher than the listed level or inappropriate behavior in the process of providing services, tourists are advised to contact the hotline for government support.
Leaders of Mu Cang Chai commune said that the locality is preparing information boards, which publicly announce prices and contact phone numbers for tourists to conveniently reflect when problems arise.
In the coming week, cultural forces and commune police will strengthen patrols at tourist attractions, focusing on ensuring security and order, traffic safety, and supporting tourists during the sightseeing process.
Along with rectifying collections, local authorities also propagate to people and tourists to raise awareness of environmental protection and preserve the landscape of terraced fields.
