More Chinese tourists visit Vietnam without tour guides or travel agents

Fifteen years ago, Vietnam's Chinese tour guide Nguyen Thi Son Ha had a flourishing career because at that time she was able to assist an average of 200 tourists a month from China.

It is ironic that as more and more Chinese tourists visit Vietnam nowadays, Ms. Ha's services as a tour guide is now almost redundant. She said that she would be lucky if she can assist a dozen Chinese tourists a month.

"The rapid development of the Internet, availability of tourism brochures and increasingly frequent exchanges, make Chinese tourists know Vietnam more directly and they don't need a person or an agency to help them. Most Chinese visitors now prefer travel to Vietnam by themselves, for sightseeing, for holidays and for hobnobbing with the local people," Ha said.

A young Chinese couple who traveled to Da Nang in Central Vietnam told Xinhua that they decided to take a bus by themselves, without the help of a tour guide, to explore the ancient town of Hoi An town.

"We got the information of Hoi An town and how to get there from an online forum held in China," said the couple. With the huge backpacks on their shoulders and a map, the couple said they liked to travel by their own, not through a travel agency, which they found a lot cheaper.

"With all the information provided in advance, we are quite confident that we can go to the chosen sites by ourselves to discover the real life of the local people at any time," the young couple said, adding that they want to spend their holidays in the most comfortable way while in Vietnam, touring scenic and historic spots, enjoying traditional food, and buying souvenir items to bring home.

Nguyen Tung, chief of the Asian Department of Vietnam Tourism Joint Stock Company under the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism, said in a recent interview with Xinhua that the rise of the living standards in China has allowed more Chinese people to travel abroad for vacation.