They must now find an alternative means of surviving through these difficult times.

Lam Van Diep has been a freelance tour guide in Ho Chi Minh City for many years but since the COVID-19 pandemic began, he has had no job, no salary, and no insurance.

Though he has visited job vacancy centres to seek employment he has been unable to find anything suitable.

Many tour guides have said it has been difficult to access the Government support package for workers who lost their jobs due to COVID-19, as procedures are quite complex.

Ho Chi Minh City has about 5,000 tour guides and the country nearly 27,000, including international, domestic, and on-site guides. The simplification of administrative procedures to help workers access the unemployment support package is necessary, as the tourism workforce contributes greatly to the city’s economic development.

Unemployment is not just facing tour guides but also thousands of others working in the industry who have been greatly affected by the pandemic./.VNA

Freelance tour guides among beneficiaries of govt VND62-trillion package

The Government Office has suggested adding freelance tour guides to the list of beneficiaries on the government's VND62 trillion (US$2.6 billion) package to those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.