Inspectors from the Department of Tourism in Kien Giang Province, home to the tourist island of Phu Quoc off the coast of southern Vietnam, suspected two foreign nationals of illegally working as tour guides on the island.

The department reported on Tuesday that its inspectors conducted an unexpected inspection of tourism services on Phu Quoc from February 18 to 26 following reports of foreign nationals working illegally as tour guides in the island city.

However, the inspection team found insufficient evidence to take immediate actions against the two foreign nationals but decided to continue monitoring them to have prompt solutions.

During the inspection, the team visited tourism businesses and observed tour guides at several popular tourist destinations, including Phu Quoc Airport, Phu Quoc Safari, and Hon Thom Cable Car.

The team also worked with six tour guides, including two foreigners and four Vietnamese, who were leading a total of over 80 international tourists.

An administrative violation record was issued against N.V.P., a freelance tour guide on Phu Quoc, for guiding a group of South Korean tourists without the required tour guide card.

The inspection team proposed imposing a fine of VND17.5 million (US$687.8) on P..

Earlier, the Phu Quoc Professional Tour Guide Association reported that the island city was experiencing a boom in international tourist arrivals, with nearly one million foreign visitors in 2024. 

Many foreign nationals have been working as unauthorized tour guides for international tourists on the island.

They may provide inaccurate or misleading information, which could affect the image of Phu Quoc.

In the first two months of 2025, Kien Giang Province welcomed more than 2.2 million visitors, including over 325,000 international tourists -- a 50-percent year-on-year increase. 

The province’s tourism revenue was projected to reach nearly VND9 trillion (US$352 million) between January and February.

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