Tiếng Việt
中文Short answer: A company organizing tours and renting vehicles to domestic tourists (domestic travel service business) must meet 03 conditions under Article 31 of the Law on Tourism 2017: (1) be an enterprise established under enterprise law; (2) deposit VND 100,000,000 with a bank; (3) the person in charge of the travel service business must have graduated from an intermediate level or higher in a travel-related specialty (or another specialty plus a domestic tourism operation certificate).
Legal basis
- Law on Tourism 2017 (Article 31);
- Decree 168/2017/ND-CP (Article 14), as amended by Decree 94/2021/ND-CP;
- Circular 06/2017/TT-BVHTTDL (Article 3), as amended by Circular 13/2019/TT-BVHTTDL.
The three conditions for domestic travel service business
- Enterprise: established under enterprise law;
- Deposit: VND 100,000,000 with a commercial bank, cooperative bank, or foreign bank branch in Vietnam; the deposit must be maintained throughout the business operation;
- Person in charge: graduated from intermediate level or higher in a travel specialty; those who graduated in another specialty must hold a domestic tourism operation certificate.
Note: the VND 20,000,000 deposit level under Decree 94/2021/ND-CP applied only until 31/12/2023 (COVID-19 support policy); from 01/01/2024, the deposit level is back to VND 100,000,000 under Decree 168/2017/ND-CP.
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Who is the person in charge of the travel service business?
Under Article 3 of Circular 06/2017/TT-BVHTTDL, the person in charge is one holding one of the following titles: Chairman of the Board of Directors, Chairman of the Members’ Council, company president, private enterprise owner, General Director, Director/Deputy Director, or head of the travel service business department. A travel-related specialty is shown on the diploma in majors such as: tourism and travel service management, travel management, tour operation, tourism marketing, tour guiding, etc. (or majors containing “tourism”, “travel”, or “tour guiding”).
Is a travel license needed if only renting vehicles (no tours)?
If the company only rents vehicles (without designing or organizing tours), it is not a travel service business and does not need a Travel Service Business License; but it must meet passenger transport business conditions under road traffic law (badges, transport contracts, etc.). Where the company both rents vehicles and organizes tours, it must apply for a Domestic Travel Service Business License.
Frequently asked questions
Where to apply for a Domestic Travel Service Business License and how long does it take?
At the Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism (the tourism specialized agency under the provincial People’s Committee) where the enterprise is headquartered; the processing time is 10 working days from receipt of a complete and valid dossier.
To obtain a Travel Service Business License meeting all conditions from the start, please contact ANT Legal’s lawyers to have your dossier reviewed and for advice before proceeding.
