More than a dozen bedding shops found to have served only Chinese tourists in Ha Long, the capital of the northern province of Quang Ninh, have been asked to cease operations.

The forced closure on 15 Chinese-only shops, mostly selling rubber mattresses and beddings, was stipulated in an urgent dispatch by the provincial administration on Friday.

Eight of the venues, located in Hung Thang, Bai Chay, Tuan Chau, and Gieng Day Wards, had their quality service certificates revoked, whereas the other seven stores were forced to shut down for lacking such certification.

The license revocation was enacted as the stores did not meet the required standard and quality services for tourists as per the current regulations, according to the dispatch.

One souvenir shop was also fined VND400 million (US$17,857) for listing prices in foreign currency.

The administrations of the above wards have also been asked to have local competent agencies carry out in-depth investigations into the operations and usage of land and premises of the offending stores.

Any tour guides or travel agencies found to bring Chinese tourists into those stores will be slapped with a fine, or lose their licenses, the Quang Ninh administration pressed in the document.

Utilities providers in the local areas were also requested to suspend power or water supply to the stores from Friday.

Quang Ninh authorities also encourage people to report similar offending stores by sending an e-mail to halonghotline@quangninh.gov.vn.