The Reunification Hall applies a new photography service price list at the National Special Relic Palace (HCMC) from August 1. In which, a fee of 500,000 VND/camera is applied to visitors carrying mechanical cameras or equipment with equivalent functions. This fee allows the use of photography equipment outdoors and inside the Independence Palace, valid until 6 pm on the same day.
Talking to Lao Dong Newspaper about the new regulation that is receiving many concerns from public opinion, Mr. Bui Huu Toan - Director of Thong Nhat Hall - affirmed that the application of the above fee is mainly for the purpose of managing and limiting service and commercial photography activities that affect the general visiting space, not at all to limit tourists from experiencing or "maximizing revenue".
This regulation is actually only to restrict service providers from taking photos that affect tourists, it is not at all to restrict tourists from bringing cameras to visit" - the Director of the Reunification Hall emphasized.
Explaining more clearly how to distinguish between ordinary tourists and professional service photo groups, the Director of the Reunification Hall said that the unit can completely easily identify them based on the scale and operating methods.
Individual or family tourists when coming to beautiful shooting angles usually only take a few souvenir photos and then move on. Meanwhile, service photography groups, paid photography groups often go with a large crew, carrying many specialized equipment and occupying beautiful shooting angles for a long time. This directly affects the space and experience of many other tourists.
Representatives of the Reunification Hall also said that, through actual statistics, the activities of photo service groups take place regularly, every day. Therefore, the unit must have adjustment measures to maintain order and civilized space at the relic.
The purpose of this regulation is not to maximize revenue. The most basic goal is still to limit actions that affect tourists and are mainly a reminder" - Mr. Bui Huu Toan added.
