It is easy to claim to be a good tour operator on the internet nowadays. It is easy to make up several fake reviews and hired reviews online nowadays, too. When browsing the internet to find a good tour operator in Vietnam, most will be more likely to contact several Vietnam tour companies before making the decision: what tour company to choose for your trip to Vietnam.
Below you can find useful tips and advice which helps you to shortlist the Vietnamese tour operators which you may come across when planning your trip.
1/ The tour company’s website is presented in good English (or languages) and with candid photos of the destinations and/or travel services
It is more likely you find most tour operators and travel agencies online nowadays and you judge nothing at the first encounter but their website. Try your deduction skills in judging if it is really the tour operator you want for your holidays in Vietnam?
The website may not be extremely visually appealing but must look decent and well looked after. And you can find decent amount of practical and useful information related to travel and tourism on their website. All the travel destinations and tour itineraries must have accompanying candid photos.
Avoid those tour companies and tour operators who steal online materials or use free photos from the internet on their website. As these companies may have never been to the place and certainly have zero knowledge of the destinations as well as the travel services in the places.
It is easy to sit with your computer and write all kinds of Vietnam travel guide without having been to the place, really. They they can include someone else’s photos combined with professionally-designed website. Voila! Avoid them at all costs!
Halong Bay, Vietnam
2/Tour Operators and Tour Companies must possess an Inbound Tour Operator License
The tour operators you plan to deal with must possess an inbound tour operator license by Vietnam’s Administration of Tourism. Many tour companies display their Vietnam's Inbound Tour Operator License on their website. Or you may want to check directly with the representative of the company for it. If they do not have it or do not want to show it, or if you notice that the license is not valid, then you may want to go somewhere else.
Alternatively you can check with Vietnam’s Administration of Tourism or with the Tourism Department of the province in which the tour company is based. Make sure you take note of every detail on the license.
Dealing with licensed tour operators, you will be saved from several enormous risks from scams and frauds to bad service and ruined holidays. In the unlikely case that should something happen on your trip, then there is a good procedure by law that your legal interests are protected.
You keep in mind that those tour companies in Vietnam with a valid tour operator license, then they have passed certain requirements by law which protects your legitimate interests on your holidays in Vietnam.
Tam Coc Mountains, Ninh Binh, Vietnam
3/ Service quality represented by their staff
3.1 Language skills
It is normal you’ll work with the sale staff or tour operation staff when you contact a tour operator. Make sure they communicate with you easily and clearly on every question. You could tell by the way they write to you in email or you can check by calling them on the phone or via voice call on the internet.
Language barriers may create huge misunderstanding and working with someone who make themselves to you clear and who you could make understand your requirements easily, then it saves you lots of possible troubles of endless explanations and clarifications later.
3.2 Expertise in understanding the clients’ needs
The company representative must grasp quickly at least the main points of your requests. Working at cross-purposes makes you start all over again after 5-7 days or after several emails exchanged; in several cases, you will realize this once it is too late!
For most customized private holidays you should be presented with your wished travel itinerary after a couple of emails only. This being said you have to be clear and exact also on the date information as well as your travel interests in the first place.
All has to be written clearly and there must be no room for ambiguation. You have to pay detailed attention as to the daily itinerary of your tour and what is included/excluded in the tour costs. If you are not sure of something, make them clarify it before proceeding.
3.3 Good knowledge of the destinations and the provided travel services
Someone who has been there and been there several times and who possesses good knowledge of the individual services like to cruise operators, the hotels, the restaurants…, then they will be more likely provide you with exactly what you need at reasonable costs. They will get you what you want and they will help you to save your money, too.
