HANOI, April 6 — Hanoi has prohibited tours of coffee shops lining its train street, a popular destination for many foreign visitors, to ensure the security and safety of visitors, reported Vietnam News Agency (VNA).
The municipal Department of Tourism said it has asked businesses offering tourism and transport services in the city not to offer such tours, and encourage holidaymakers, especially foreigners, not to visit and take photos at the coffee shops.
The department also asked relevant agencies to seriously observe regulations on rail traffic safety and urban order and assigned its investigation force to step up inspections and handling of wrongdoings.
The train street has been famous for its makeshift coffee shops, but also poses a major safety hazard.
There are more than 30 household-based coffee shops along the train track running through Hang Bong, Cua Dong, Cua Nam, Hang Ma, and Dong Xuan wards.
It was reported that many tourists have visited the rail section in Hang Bong ward, with some groups transported to the barrier on Tran Phu street, causing traffic congestion there, according to the deputy director of the department Nguyen Hong Minh.
Hoan Kiem district has repeatedly ordered the closure of coffee shops along the train track and asked local households not to run these businesses at the dangerous site, yet the situation has seen no improvements.
The capital city welcomed some 978,700 foreigners in the first three months of this year — 5.9 times higher than the same period last year, said the municipal Department of Tourism.
The capital aims to welcome 22 million tourists this year. — Bernama
