On March 30, 2018, the Ministry of Finance issued Circular No.34/2018/TT-BTC promulgating fee levels, collection and payment regime and managing fees for appraising and classifying tourist accommodation establishments and other tourist service establishments up to the standard of service to tourists. The Circular took effect from May 14, 2018.

Accordingly, Circular No.34/2018/TT-BTC stipulates the fee level for the evaluation as follows:

1. Fee payers: Organizations and individuals doing business in tourist accommodation or doing business in other tourist services in Vietnam when submit dossiers of registration for appraising and classifying tourist accommodation establishments and other tourist service establishments up to the standard of service to tourists.
2. Organization of charge collection: The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism; Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism; Department of Tourism of provinces, cities under central authority.
3. Charge rates:

– For appraising and classifying tourist accommodation establishments: grade 1 star, 2 stars is 1.500.000 VND/dossier; 3 star is 2,000,000 VND/dossier; 4 stars, 5 stars is 3,500,000 VND/dossier.

– For appraising and classifying other tourist service establishments up to the standard of service to tourists, the fee for evaluation is 1,000,000 VND/dossier.

Thus, it can be seen, compared with the previous Circular on fees for appraisal, Circular No. 34/2018/TT-BTC reduced the fee for appraising and classifying 3-star tourist accommodation establishments. Thereby, the Circular is meaningful in promoting the tourist accommodation establishments to register the appraising and classifying, because most of the current tourist accommodation establishments in Vietnam meet the conditions of 3 star tourist accommodation establishments.