Domestic travel services are an important part of Vietnam’s tourism industry. However, to operate legally, enterprises must meet specific legal requirements and follow the licensing procedures under the Law on Tourism 2017. This article provides detailed guidance on the types of travel services, the conditions for establishing a domestic travel company, and the steps to apply for a domestic travel service business license.
1. Types of travel-related business services
Vietnamese law recognizes five main categories of tourism business activities:
- Travel services:
- Domestic travel: Organizing and operating tours within Vietnam.
- International travel: Organizing tours for Vietnamese travelers abroad and for international visitors coming to Vietnam.
- Tourist accommodation services: Hotels, resorts, tourist villas, serviced apartments, guesthouses, homestays, private houses with guest rooms, campsites, and other lawful accommodation types.
- Catering services in tourism: Restaurants, food outlets, and specialty cuisine services located in tourist areas or destinations.
- Tourist transportation services: Transportation by road, rail, waterway, air, and other means to carry tourists between destinations.
- Supplementary tourism services: Entertainment, wellness, shopping, sports, cultural and art performances, conventions, exhibitions, visa support, ticketing, tour guiding, and other added-value services to enhance the tourist experience.
2. Conditions for establishing a domestic travel service company
According to Article 31 of the Law on Tourism 2017 and Decree 186/2017/ND-CP (as amended by Decree 94/2021/ND-CP), an enterprise must meet the following conditions:
- Legal establishment: The company must be registered as an enterprise in accordance with the Law on Enterprises and obtain a valid business registration certificate.
- Security deposit requirement: The enterprise must maintain a deposit of VND 20,000,000 (twenty million Vietnamese dong) in a commercial bank, cooperative bank, or a foreign bank branch operating in Vietnam. The deposit must remain throughout the business operation. The enterprise is entitled to interest income from the deposit in accordance with the agreement with the bank and applicable law.
- Qualified personnel: The person in charge of the travel service business must hold at least an associate degree (or higher) in a field related to tourism or travel, such as:
- Tourism and Travel Service Management
- Tour Operation Management
- Tourism Marketing
- Tourism and Hospitality Management
- Travel Agency Management
- MICE Tourism Management
- Tour Guiding
- Or any major including the terms “tourism,” “travel,” or “tour guiding,” issued by an accredited institution in Vietnam or abroad.
If the diploma does not clearly specify the major, transcripts or academic supplements may be submitted as evidence.
3. Application dossier for a domestic travel service business license
As stipulated in Clause 1, Article 32 of the Law on Tourism 2017, the application dossier includes:
- Application form for a domestic travel service business license (using the template issued by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism);
- Certified copy of the enterprise registration certificate;
- Certificate of deposit for domestic travel services;
- Certified copy of the decision of appointment or labor contract between the enterprise and the person in charge of the travel service business;
- Certified copy of the academic qualifications and professional certificates of the person in charge.
4. Licensing procedures and competent authority
The process for obtaining a domestic travel service license consists of the following steps:
- Step 1: The enterprise submits the complete application dossier to the provincial tourism authority (Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism or Department of Tourism).
- Step 2: Within 10 working days from the date of receipt of a valid dossier:
- The competent authority will examine the application and issue the domestic travel service business license, or
- If the application is rejected, the authority must notify the enterprise in writing, clearly stating the reasons.
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