DEVELOPING, USING AND ANALYZING THE RESULTS OF INTERVIEWS TO DETERMINE THE FEELINGS OF FOREIGN TOURISTS ON THEIR VISIT TO VIET NAM

HANOI OPEN UNIVERSTTY FACULTY OF TOURISM – ² — PROJECT HD2 DEVELOPING, USING AND ANALYZING THE RESULTS OF INTERVIEWS TO DETERMINE THE FEELINGS OF FOREIGN TOURISTS ON THEIR VISIT TO VIET NAM Students : NGUYEN THI HONG NAM NGUYEN THI THU HIEN Class : BK13 Group : 2 HA NOI - 2008 TABLE OF CONTENTS I/ INTRODUCTION Through many last assignments, we had many big chances to be acquainted with doing in-group, working with many various topics, which required an ability of working, of researching, etc... With this HD2 project, we also get more chances to work in-group, but in this topic, we get a new way to do this assignment. It brings us a chance to communicate with foreigners, to interview and from that; we can learn something different from last assignments. Because of the purpose of the assignment, is that encouraging students to meet and talk with foreigners, obtaining information by designing, asking questions and analyzing their results in a short report? So that, it is very interesting with the student because it helps student to developing higher skills and abilities, which are different from, last projects. Writing this report, we hope that we can bring something new to the teacher and the students in faculty of tourism. We summarized our an interview by this report, and we want to supply some present information’s about foreign tourists, about what they are thinking about Vietnam tourism, what they hope and what they see? Then, teachers and students may know clearly about the fact of tourism in Vietnam. It will help students have the right acknowledge about tourism in our country. Especially, doing this report, students can learn many things in analyzing chart, which is very helpful for the future. In order to do this job, we shared the work equally by two members in our groups: Nguyen Thi Thu Hien: Introduction Interview Question First half of the result part: from background to the sources of information and how useful/accurate it was. Nguyen Thi Hong Nam: Second part of the result: From accommodation facilities to extra comments. Discussion Recommendations Edit and print II/ INTERVIEW QUESTIONS According to the purpose of the report, we had to go out to carry out our interview with the foreigner tourists. We had to spend two days in the Old-Quarter to do it. Before carrying this interview, we intended to choose some destinations around Hanoi where have many tourists. Moreover, in our mind, we thought it was so easy to get information. Nevertheless, after interviewing, we recognized that it did not look like our imagination. On the first day, we wandered around Restored Sword Lake to find the tourists. We approached some tourists who sat on the bench. We did it without difficulties. We saw them with a friendly way, very natural way, and very welcomed. However, some of them stared us, looked us in unfriendly way and did not want to bother anymore. Because they have only come to Hanoi for one day and Hanoi was the first places in their visit. Moreover, some of tourists are come from French, so, we got many difficulties in communicating with these tourists. Suddenly, we felt very disappointed and did not want to go at all. And we continued finding other guests, but not much tourist, so we could interview one to two travelers. Most of them seemed too closed, to be friendly and warmhearted, and welcome us. They told us everything they did in Vietnam and they thought about Vietnam in their travels. Therefore, they helped us in getting information for our interview. But, in generally, we had not completed 12 sheets Questionnaires yet. Nam and I were very tired at that time. We sat each other, discussed and gave the last decision. On the second day, we found a Beer road site inn (Bia hoi) in Ta Hien street. It is the place where have many tourist drinking beer there, very famous street with tourist. We ordered a bottle of orange juice, drank and wait for a chance to access tourists. And we got it. Most of tourists here were very cheerful, very humor and very easy to get an open talk with them. Besides that, they also asked them for some visiting places in Hanoi, where they have to go and to see. And, for only one hour, we finished our interview with a lot of information not only in the project but also in the outside. We were very happy. III/ RESULTS Our questionnaire designed an interview of 25 questions and divided into 10 main topics: Background Reason for travel Tourist sites visited or intending to visit Tourist services used Sources of information and how useful it was Accommodation facilities Quality of food Transportation Shopping, entertainment Extra comments Hereafter is the questionnaire that we designed: QUESTIONAIRE Name:………………………………….. Nationality:……………………………. Age: Young Middle age Older Sex: Male /Female Kind of travel: Independent Group Business How many times have you visited Vietnam? Why did you choose Viet Nam for your travel? Have you visited some famous destinations and world heritages in Vietnam? Which is the destination in Vietnam you like the most? And Why? What kind of tourist service have you used in Vietnam? What is your opinion about the services you has used in Vietnam? The quality of tour guide in Vietnam is: Your search information about Vietnam by: Do you often use a system of tourism information when you travel in Vietnam? Is it easy for you to approach the tourism information center? Give me your trouble if no? Do you often get brochure from the destination you come? What is your comment about the quality of brochure? What kind of accommodations you staying in Hanoi? What did you think about the accommodation that you stayed in Hanoi? Have you ever tasted some traditional foods in Vietnam? If yes, where did you try it? How do you feel about traditional food in Vietnam? What is Vietnamese food you like most? What is your appreciation about transportation system in Vietnam? Have you ever gone shopping in Vietnam or Hanoi? Where is the place you often go for shopping? Did you find suitable places for your entertainment in Hanoi? If no, do you have any suggestion for Hanoi? What are your impressions of Hanoi? Did your visit to Hanoi meet your expectations? Will you return to Hanoi for a second visit? 1. Background a. Chart of Nationality This pie chart shows us the Nationality of the tourist coming to Vietnam at this time, and divided into three occupations: tourists from European, Oceanian and North American. In general, the greatest number of tourist who coming to Vietnam recently is North American tourists with 42%. There are smaller percentages of European and Oceanian tourists. They occupy 33% and 25%. It is not difficult to explain for this result. As you can see, there is a vacation for the Western countries at this time. Therefore, they spend more time and money for travelling, and for relaxing in some Southern Eastern Asian countries: Thailand, Singapore, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam. And the reason why the north American tourists come to Vietnam much more than before? Because, at this time, there is a presidential racing in America, and one of them is John Mc. Cain, who was an Airman in Vietnam War, who drove B52 airplane for American army. Many documents, which talked about him, kept in Hoalo prison. Therefore, it is the reason why many tourists from North American country come to Vietnam at this time. b. Estimate age of tourist Estimate age of tourist 33% 58% 9% 0% 10% 20% 30% 40% 50% 60% 70% Young age Middle age Old age Young age Middle age Old age This column shows the estimate age of the tourist. As it is shown in chart 2, middle age people have the highest percentage, occupy 58,5%. The percentage of young tourists is slightly smaller than the percentage of middle age tourists. It means that at that time, the tourist at the age of the middle in some western countries have more free time, we can find many middle age tourist in everywhere. They travel with family, with friends and groups. But different from the young age, the tendency of middle age tourists is that they only buy a tour with package services, and enjoy the most famous places, don’t want to have experienced like a real backpacker. The old age occupy only 9%. It shows us that at this time, when the young and middle age people go to travel, they stay at home to keep the house for their children, or travel not much. This kind of tourist wants to have a culture tour, have a rest. Therefore, not many tourists stay in Hanoi now. c. Kind of travel This chart shows that kind of travel. We divided into three main parts: Independent traveler, Group, and business. It can be seen that the percentage of independent tourist is the biggest. It occupies 58% in total. The numbers of tourists who travel in-group hold 33%. And the business tourist market is less, 9%. Seeing the result, we can show that, nowadays, more and more tourists like this kind of travel very much. There are many reasons to explain for the result that why they choose travelling alone. Some of independent travelers are students, they travel alone to get the real experienced, because they have not much money, and are called backpackers. Others independent tourists were interviewed said that: they travel alone because they want to discover by themselves, although they have much money to buy package tours. The tendency of travelling alone becomes popular in Vietnam. However, as you know, they are not the potential customer of Vietnam tourism. So, we think that Vietnam tourism should have more strategies to attractive higher tourist market. 2. Reason for travel This chart presents the reason for travel. As it is shown in the chart, the percentage of reason for beauty and others reason are equal, occupy 42% in total. And the number of tourist choose Vietnam for cheap and strange have the same pecentage: 8%. In brief, most of the tourist says that Vietnam is very beautiful and famous with many landscapes, traditional food.... Most of the tourist said that they love Halong Bay with natural beauty, love Hoian, Hue with its ancient traditional culture, love Hochiminh city with busy city, shopping there is very interesting, and especially, Hanoi is very peaceful for them to relax, to see water puppet, very exciting. Therefore, it is easy to see this result. Others reasons why tourist choose Vietnam are: they have many Vietnamese friends live in their countries, and they introduced to visit here, or some others choose Vietnam because they want to visit some world heritages in Vietnam. 3. Tourist sites or intending to visit This chart shows us the tourist sites which tourist chooses to visit in Vietnam and intend to visit. We gathered the popular destinations with tourists into three areas: Southern, Northern and Middle of Vietnam. The result shows that most of the tourists like northern of Vietnam with 50%. According to our interview, we asked question about the reason why you like northern of Vietnam, most of them told us that because they fond of Halong bay, they love Tamcoc, love Hanoi, and many thing in Hanoi. Hanoi is so quite different from Hochiminh city. 33 percent are belonging to Southern of Vietnam, with some famous places like Hochiminh city, with Nhatrang, Mui ne (Phanthiet city). They love beaches there. Only 28% tourist chooses middle of Vietnam. Most of the tourists who said that they like Vietnam because of some reasons here: Hue people are very friendly and closely, foods bring traditional cuisine, very wonderful, they know well about Spring roll in Hue, but we wondered that spring roll in Hanoi is also very delicious, why tourist can remember deeply in their mind about this food. Generally, the result shows that destinations are disposed equally in three areas of Vietnam. And it helps tourists get know well about Vietnam, get more different feeling about Vietnam by many different traditional cultures. 4. Appreciations of quality of tourist services There are some small differences in this chart. We did not divide the tourist services too clearly, but we generally gathered the tourist services to have a general viewing about services, which tourists used in Vietnam. As you can see in this chart, the percentage of good services which tourist felt is 50 percent, quite good is 34 percent. However, they do never have a real satisfaction about the quality of services they used here. They complained us about the hotel, guide. It has not good standard. About the quality of the guide, they also had bad complications: tour guide don’t know the way with some destinations, tour guide speak so quite, and something not good... We felt so disappointed. A small amounts of tourist thought that tourist services are so quite bad and fair, occupy 8%. Some of them complained about transportation in Hanoi, very funny, very crazy and have no rule. Especially, when they drank beer hoi in the sidewalk, some of polices drove a car, and the boss of the inn shouted at them to sit at the back to avoided...Very funny, and street vendors are also persistent too, they earn money by treat the tourist with a higher prices. Some tourists know about it but others did not know they easily give money to the street vendor by his funny stories: “buy for me, if you buy, you will be very lucky”... and many crazy things. On the whole, the chart shows that percentage of good quality is much higher than quite good. Now, tourism in Vietnam has not enough good professional marketing strategy, and lack of services. It will lead the tourist feel so boring and do not want to come back again. 5. Source of information and how useful it was a. Source of information The chart presents the source of information tourist use and find before coming to Vietnam. Seeing this chart, we can recognize that most of the tourist find information from internet and book (lonely planet), occupy 50%.It means that, nowadays, internet is very useful method for tourist who want to travel in everywhere. They can get enough information for them without losing a lot of time or money. Then, when they are travelling, they use lonely planet book as a pocket dictionary. They easily find many things from this book. Most of tourists use a map and a lonely planet book. The others result shows us that introducing by friend are so popular, with 42%. This kind of advertising is also very good and interesting for the tourist, because they will get more experienced to avoided something, and to know what they can do and don’t in Vietnam. No one choose Tour Company for finding information. It is very easy to understand because they are afraid of quality of the company. Altogether, almost tourists choose internet for finding information about Vietnam. b.Brochure and tourism information center: According to our result, most of the tourist said no when I asked them about tourism information center, do they often use it to find information. And the result is 75%. Although they told us that the information centers are very easy to approach, they said that they had a guidebook, so, it’s enough for them, many information in this book. 25% tourist said yes because they want to get more exactly information and sometime them lost way... And about quality of brochure, a tourist who comes from Australia said to me: “I have visited Vietnam for 3 times, and I love it. But I have never got any brochure because it has a lot of English mistakes, very funny, that sometime I can’t know...And the color of the brochure is not fine. So, I don’t like it very much” 58% tourists considered that brochures have not enough information for them. In general, this chart shows that the quality of brochure is not good, and it needs to be changed to get more attractiveness from tourists. 6. Accommodation facilities The quality of accommodation facilities. The pie charts show the quality of accommodation facilities in Hanoi in four board categories: excellent, good, fair and bad. As can be seen from the chart that almost tourists evaluated the quality of accommodation facilities in Hanoi are good, it occupies 67% in total. The percentage of excellent facilities holds 17%. And the percentage of fair and bad facilities are same: 8%. Seeing the result, we can find that facilities in Hanoi get better and better, we satisfied tourist’s demand. Base on our research, tourists only use 2 kinds of accommodation are hotel: 67% and guesthouse: 33%, tourists told that facilities in there rather good, enough necessary equipments, clean, fair comfortable. Specially, with tourists who can afford to stay at 4, 5 star hotel, they totally agree: excellent facilities. However, we also received some comments, almost hotels and guesthouses are good but some of them are not. They use marketing strategy in unfriendly way seem to be persistent. Therefore, it created the bad image in the tourist’s mind. Especially, follow Miss. Kim from Australia: “room’s price is unreasonable”, the price not match with the quality of room. In conclusion, we can say that the quality of accommodation in Hanoi quite good and continue expand the excellent quality. 7. Quality of food. a. The places where tourists tasted Vietnamese foods The pie chart presents the places where tourist tasted traditional foods in Vietnam. All tourists said “yes” when asked: “Have you ever tasted some traditional foods in Vietnam?” According to the pie chart that there is not a great deal of difference between the percentage of tourist tasted in restaurant (42%) and tourist tasted in street vendor (33%). In short, Western tourists usually take a meal in restaurant, their habit. On the other hand, nearly all tourists in Vietnam are independent tourist so they really want to explore the real Vietnamese life. The best way is tasted some foods in street vender like Vietnamese, cheaper and more enjoyable. 17 percent tasted Vietnam foods in a tour; almost they follow a group, everything order so they have no time and chances tasted Vietnam foods outside. In addition, the percentage of tourist chose others place is very small, only 8%, they have Vietnamese’s friends so they have a chances take a meal with Vietnamese family. Finally, it can be said that sometime street vendors have a not good attitude with tourists and hard to control them but if we see in other side, street vendor’s still special form of Hanoi in particular and Vietnam in general. b.Vietnamese food that like most The pie chart shows us what Vietnamese food tourist like most is. We know that Hanoi have many traditional foods but we only chose 3 specific dishes are spring roll, pho and fish-cake. Almost tourists feel of traditional food in Vietnam are delicious (67%) and good (41%), they reckon Vietnam’s foods is very attractive, harmonious taste and nice. It can be seen from the chart that the greater percentages of tourist like Pho (44%) than spring roll (34%). In brief, this point easy to understand because we have a professional Pho’s restaurant system like: Pho 24hour, Pho Vuong…so tourist without difficulty to find out a Pho’s restaurant and enjoy. Meanwhile spring roll only serves in Vietnamese restaurants, although it also well known and special. Moreover, we may eat Pho in breakfast, lunch or dinner but spring roll is not. The percentage of tourist like grilled chopped fish and others are equal (11percent). Following Mr. Lebar (French): he likes chicken, beef and Vietnamese rice… Altogether, we can say that Vietnamese foods totally subduing tourists and bring pleasant for them. 8. Transportations The pie chart presents the appreciation about transportation system in Vietnam, divided into 4 parts: good, so-so, bad and terrible. According to chart, that we realized the percentage of good system equal terrible system: occupy 17% . Fair system has the highest percentage: occupy 41% and the percentage of bad system: 25%. Transportation system is a big problem in Vietnam and getting worse and worse. Nearly all tourists steady complaint about this problem. Ash James from USA said: “Vietnam is a peaceful country but transports, traffic are heavy dangerous, very crazy because a lot of motorbike, no rule” We know that transportation system is the element most closely concerned with tourism. If we still keep on run-down condition, our tourism business will be fallen down. On the whole, it can be seen from the chart that 3 segments so-so, bad and terrible have to solve in the shortest possible time before reaching the same level of tourism business as countries in area. 9. Shopping and entertainment a.Shopping in Hanoi The pie charts show us the place where tourists shopping in Hanoi, we divided into 4places: Plaza, market, the Old- quarter and others. Before finding out about the places for shopping, our team did not forget asking tourists ever shopping in Hanoi yet. And all of them answer: “yes”, shopping is indispensable to travel. As can be seen from the chart that the biggest percentage of the Old quarter shopping: 37% and afterward is the percentage of market shopping 27%. It is very logical because the Old quarter is leisure, tourist and industrial centre; a thousand shops have been opened to serve tourism, satisfy tourist’s demand and they easily combine sightseeing and shopping. Western tourists are curious about market in Vietnam so that why they explored market through shopping and have a chance to bargain. The percentage of shopping plaza and others is same: occupy 18%. Tourists did not shopping plaza much because: First, they acquainted with shopping in plaza or tower in their country. Second, products in plaza are not yet multiform. In all, we can say that before building shopping centers and destroy all traditional markets we have to calculate to right way. Thus, the Old quarter need manage and arrange again to avoid breaking space of the Old quarter. b. Entertainment in Hanoi Our team also find out about places suitable for entertainment in Hanoi and their suggestion. And we have result: almost tourists say “yes” 85%, the Thang Long theatre water puppet is the best choice and following a tourist option: if you travel in Hanoi, don’t skip a show water puppet. The second choice is opera in Opera House, after that bars, clubs, and pups or drink “bia hoi” in the international crossroads (crossroads Ta Hien Street and Luong Ngoc Quyen Street) They also give us some suggestions like regularly change in water puppet’ show, lack of bars and especial Mr.Lebar from French said: “Not really, but there are a lot of animations in your city and that’s enough” 10. Extra comments In this part, we want to know more tourist impression and feeling of Hanoi and all tourists ready share their feeling: jolly, angry, unpleasant… Hanoi is different from others, especial about Hanoi’s Old quarter. This is a square kilometer of extremes: elegance and dirt, grace and chaos, friendship and anger. The narrow, shop-lined, oddly angled streets determined by the traffic of feet and wagons over the course of centuries. The streets of the Old Quarter retain their ability to surprise and delight and sometimes frighten-pedestrians. The irrational is eternally interesting; there is nothing rational, in the Western sense, about the layout of the Old Quarter, though much of it makes perfect sense on its own terms. Besides, Hanoi is more beautiful than Hochiminh city, so crowded, busy city and a crazy city but easy to get around, clean than Lao country and Hanoi is one of peaceful city, terrific. Many things are very cheap. Hanoian is very friendly, nice, and so sweet and host…lot of life and pleasant people. 75% tourists meet their expectation when they visit in Hanoi, they rather satisfied with Hanoi, people and setting in here. Only 25% tourists are not comfortable with Hanoi’ environment, street vendors or services… To finish a conversation, we asked tourists that they would return to Hanoi for a second visit. Almost tourists said: “Yes” occupies 75% and only small percentage is 8% said “No” inside 2 tourist said “Maybe” In sum up, Hanoi’s image in tourists’ mind is very different from others and peaceful, friendly, our mission now is preserve beautiful sides and improve bad image in order to hold visitor stay longer and come back Hanoi city many times. IV/ DISCUSSION General statements about the results: - At this time, there is a vacation for Western countries so they spend time to travel to Asian countries, tropical area like Thailand, Cambodia and Vietnam. Moreover, the numbers of South American tourists come to Vietnam slight increase than before because now there is a presidential racing in America and one of Presidential candidate is John Mc. Cain who was an Airman in Vietnam War, many documents about him have been kept in Hoa Lo prison that why many tourists come to Vietnam. Following our research, now tourists at the age of middle traveling a lot because they have free time, financial resources and good health… Nowadays, more and more tourists travel independent to get real experienced, have not much money and discover themselves. Especially, the tendency of travelling alone becomes popular so Vietnam tourism should change strategies to attractive higher market. - The reason for tourists chooses Vietnam as a destination because Vietnam is beautiful, peaceful and they want to visit some World Heritage in Vietnam. - Generally, tourists sites visited are disposed equally in 3 areas of Vietnam, each area helps visitor get know well about Vietnam, getting more different feeling by many different traditional cultures. - Tourism in Vietnam has not enough good professional marketing strategies, and lack of services. It will lead the tourist feel so boring and do not want to come back again. - Almost tourists choose internet for finding information about Vietnam without losing a lot of time or money. Finding in books or friends introduce are the best way. No one find information through tour company because they afraid of quality of the company. The quality of brochure is not good; a lot of English mistake and the color are not good so it needs to be changed to get more attractiveness from tourists. - From the result, we can say that the quality of accommodation in Hanoi quite good and continue expand the excellent quality. - In short, sometime street vendors have a not good attitude with tourists and hard to control them but if we see in other side, street vendor’s still special form of Hanoi in particular and Vietnam in general. - A big problem until exist is transportation system, unaware, transports were outdated, poor quality…All problems have to solve in the shortest possible time before reaching the same level of tourism business as countries in area. - We can say that before building shopping centers and destroy all traditional markets we have to calculate to right way. Thus, the Old quarter need manage and arrange again to avoid breaking space of the Old quarter. - In sum up, Hanoi’s image in tourists’ mind is very different from others and peaceful, friendly, our mission now is preserve beautiful sides and improve bad image in order to hold visitor stay longer and come back Hanoi city many times. The learning objectives realized: - After finishing HD2 project, we learned about how to design a logical questionnaire, how to set questions in order to get information as much as possible. Knowing how to chose main topics to set more questions. - During the process interview tourists, at first we met an obstacle to communicate with visitor, they did not want us bother them too long so I took out an experience: if tourists prove disheartened and unfocused, the good way is goodbye them. Thanks to Intercultural communication subject and English subjects, we totally noticed body languages from tourists. After that, we communicate freely and naturally with tourists, but still remember not to take their time so long. - When finishing interview, we continued learning how to collect and classify the result, learn the ropes and know how to analyze information in a chart, column. My feelings about the project: - This is the first project we have search not much information from internet. This project, I have to brainstorm more, connecting specialist knowledge with new ones. Moreover, it helps me expand logical thought. - This project is rather hard, it required writer has many skills like analyze, go from the particular to the general, set up questionnaire, and have knowledge about tourism…. - Because we lack experience of designing questionnaire so the result fall short of ours expectations. And ours ability analyze figures, information still limited therefore the project not real professional. But, I believe that we try our best. Evaluation of problems with the methods used or missing information: - Because of the first time we design a questionnaire therefore we make some mistake like: question unspecific, unfocused and still get English mistakes, set up questions not really smart. - Linking between questions not logical, and unfortunately, we forget to ask tourist about food services. But almost tourists satisfied with server in restaurant, hotel.. - About the analysis of figures and assess: we mainly use the pie chart and column because it’s very easy to understand and popular. - All in all, our team caught the interesting information, the feeling of tourists when they travel in Hanoi in the particular and Vietnam in the general. V/ RECOMMENDATIONS We should change the target market, switch to the higher market that have finances resources, free time and usually travel with a group like old tourists or rich people… The government have to tighten law in tourism especially in hotel: fix price room, managing quality and quantity of hotel, guesthouse …deep punish by finance … Usually checking the quality and quantity of tour guide and retrain 2 years/times. Managing street vendors in a right network, training and improve knowledge about eco tourism for them in order to they are not disturb tourists any more. They will become the professional street vendors.