There are certain things Hoi An should fix to deserve being one of world's best cities

By BL   August 10, 2024 | 04:00 pm PT
I am happy to hear Hoi An was voted one of the world's most beautiful cities, but the way of doing tourism there is not really good.

According to the annual World's Best Awards announced in July by American travel magazine Travel & Leisure, Hoi An ranked fourth in the category of the 25 most beautiful cities in the world for 2024.

But I can list seven reasons why the ranking result could raise questions.

Coming to Hoi An, the first thing that caught my eye was the sidewalks encroached by shops to display their items and goods, forcing tourists to walk down onto the streets.

Second, street vendors sit along downtown streets, creating a messy and chaotic scene.

Third, there are cyclo drivers following each other at high speed, and even shouting loudly for passersby to move aside for them to pass by. It is really a chaotic image.

Fourth, some roadside restaurants scrub the sidewalks, causing water to flow everywhere.

Fifth, some tour guides hold loudspeakers and stand in the middle of the entrances to relics, speaking loudly for a few minutes, making it difficult for other tourists to move around.

In addition, although Hoi An is a pedestrian zone, it still lacks stone benches and public toilets.

Finally, the banks of the Hoai River during the dry season are still full of sand, bricks and stones. Such scene is not very beautiful while tourists have to get off the boat via some makeshift iron stairs.

Following the global recognition, I hope authorities would fix the problems that affect the image of Hoi An’s tourism and build up its reputation.

*Readers' opinions are personal and do not necessarily match VnExpress's viewpoints.

 
 
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