Many hotels and parking lots at a number of tourist sites in some northern and central localities in Vietnam have overcharged visitors over the past two holidays, Reunification Day (April 30) and International Labor Day (May 1).
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The central province of Quang Binh, known for famous attractions like Phong Nha cave, Nhat Le beach and the grave area of the late General Vo Nguyen Giap, has attracted numerous visitors during the holidays.
Along with the increased demand for accommodation, room rates at two- and three-star hotels and guesthouses in Dong Hoi town were also raised randomly up to VND1.5-2 million (US$71-95) per day during April 29 to May 1, far higher than the normal rates of VND300,000-600,000 ($14.2-24.8) per day.
At other hotels, the rates during the past several days were 20-30 percent higher than before.
Nguyen Van Ky, deputy director of the provincial Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism, attributed the overcharging to the excess of demand over supply.
The volume of tourists coming to the province during the past two holidays was much higher than that in previous years, Ky explained.
Therefore, many hotels have randomly raised their rent rates and a number of visitors, who faced difficulty seeking accommodation, had no choice but to accept high rates, Ky said.
Meanwhile, the provincial Market Management Sub-department has checked 279 restaurants and eateries and has issued fines totaling tens of millions of dong to those that violated regulations on price posting.
In the central city of Hue, about 20,000 guests occupied most of hotels there on Friday, the Thua Thien-Hue Province Department of Culture, Sports and Culture reported, adding that nearly all of these hotels, especially small ones, overcharged their guests.
On May 2, a receptionist at Heritage Hotel in Hue told Tuoi Tre reporters that the room rates was VND800,000-VND1 million ($38-47.5) per double room. On previous days, the rates were only VND500,000-600,000.
There are 26 three- to five-star hotels in the central city, and most of them have increased room rates by 20-30 percent from normal levels, according to a representative of the Thua Thien-Hue Province Hotel Association.
A similar phenomenon also occurred at the northern port city of Hai Phong, home to the famed Cat Ba and Do Son tourist sites, and Quang Ninh, another northern province.
At Quang Ninh-based Bai Chay beach, the rent of a VIP room was doubled to VND2.5 million ($118) per day, while rates for ordinary rooms were up to two or three times higher than normal.
At a 2-star hotel in the area, the rent of a room with two single beds was pushed up to VND1.2-1.5 million ($57-71) per day.
Parking fee of VND50,000 ($2.37) per bike
During the past holidays, many parking lots in Quang Ninh’s Ha Long City, and along the Bai Chay beach have charged customers VND50,000 per motorbike and VND100,000 ($4.74) per car.
“These rates are ten times higher than normal, which is unacceptable,” a tourist who attended the 2014 Ha Long Carnival in Ha Long City told Tuoi Tre.
Meanwhile, peddlers sold a glass of ice tea at VND5,000 per glass and a small loaf of bread with sausage fetched VND30,000, all higher rates than usual.
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