The image of a cyclo driver in Nha Trang extorting money from a female foreign tourist spread on social media not only upset viewers, but once again raised the alarm about the risk of self-destroying a tourist city if it lacked control of offensive behavior taking place right in public space.
Immediately after the incident, Nha Trang Cyclo Union verified, held a meeting and announced that it would remove the above driver from Nha Trang Cyclo Union.
This move is necessary to demonstrate the spirit of openness, not cover-up, and especially to preserve the prestige of the labor collective in the local tourism industry.
But if it is only a form of handling of cutting the edge - removing from the Cyclo Union - without considering the root, then this story can still be repeated in another form, with another person, at another destination.
The reality is not only in Nha Trang but in all tourist cities across the country, it shows that informal labor forces such as cyclo drivers, motorbike taxi drivers, street vendors, boat rowers... are the first and most contacted people with tourists.
They not only provide services, but are also the most natural "cultural ambassadors", the face of the locality in the eyes of international tourists from many perspectives.
However, this group of workers is often outside of vocational training programs, lacks a monitoring mechanism and rarely has access to professional standards.
It is a good thing that recently, trade unions in many localities, including Nha Trang, have organized trade unions for cyclo forces and many other forces.
This is an important fulcrum for management and raising professional awareness, in addition to caring for and protecting the legitimate rights of workers.
However, the role of trade unions cannot be promoted without regular training mechanisms, periodic assessments, and especially communication and orientation of cultural and behavioral behavior in the tourism environment.
The story of cyclo drivers in Nha Trang extorting money from female foreign tourists is an opportunity to re- put the problem, that it is time for Vietnam tourism - a spearhead industry of the economy, to have a clear and effective cultural behavior management framework, not only for those working in hotels, restaurants, traveling, but also for informal workers, to have the opportunity to first and regularly contact tourists.
By turning them from natural tourism ambassadors to professional tourism ambassadors, starting from kindness in small actions, transparency in behavior, civilization in each relationship with tourists and being proud of their profession.
When every citizen, every worker from cyclo drivers, motorbike taxi drivers, street vendors to boat rowers... are true "tourism ambassadors", they will not only keep their livelihoods, but also keep the honor of an entire destination, a whole land.
