More than 1,300 tour guides in HCMC have put their names down at the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism to change their practicing cards for new professional ones, a tourism official said 
 The official of the Travel Division under the department said that of the total, over 900 are holders of cards that allow them to guide international tourists, and over 400 tour guides who are serving local travelers without cards.

Under the law, the tour guide will receive the new card within 15 working days, though the official said, “We have yet to issue any new cards to the tour guides.”

According to the division, the city had 1,680 tour guides for foreign tourists and a big number of tour guides for domestic travelers. Under the new tourism law, these tour guides have to apply for new cards or lose their operation permits.

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT) early this month told provincial departments of culture, sports and tourism to issue new cards for professional tour guides to replace paper-based cards, and the change should be completed by August.

* In related news, the HCMC Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism this Friday and Sunday will organize the final round of a contest to select best tour guides of the city.

A total 21 tour guides from 11 travel companies along with two freelance tour guides will compete in the final round. These tour guides have been selected from those of 300 travel companies in HCMC, and ten best tour guides of the city will compete in the national tour guide contest in Hanoi next month.