The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism issued a dispatch urging Vietnam Tourism Association members and all travel agencies to ensure the safety of Vietnamese nationals travelling abroad.
The announcement followed the recent case of a Vietnamese female tourist who was reportedly physically attacked in Malaysia , which raised concerns over travellers’ personal safety.
The administration also sent a note to the Malaysian Ministry of Tourism and Culture asking for a prompt investigation into the case and the implementation of measures to ensure the safety of Vietnamese tourists in Malaysia .
The document calls upon all travel agencies to implement protective measures to make sure tourists are safe during their travels abroad, including managing tour group members better and issuing warnings on safety issues.
In recent years, the number of Vietnamese nationals visiting other countries increased remarkably, with a year-on-year increase of about 20 percent in 2013.
Malaysia is one of the top destinations for Vietnamese tourists, receiving around 200,000 in 2012.-VNA
