The facade of the HCMC Museum on Ly Tu Trong Street in District 1. Photo by VnExpress/Quynh Tran
The HCMC Tourism Ministry said it would work with authorities to investigate claims by a Taiwanese tourist that she was scammed by a coconut seller.
The incident came to light after tourist Becky Chan posted a video on her TikTok on Tuesday saying she was charged VND150,000 (US$6) for a coconut, more than 10 times the normal price.
As she walked on the sidewalk in front of the Ho Chi Minh City Museum on Ly Tu Trong Street, District 1, a coconut seller approached her and showed her the entrance to the museum.
Then the man took out a coconut from his foam box and charged him 150,000 VND.
When the tourist hesitated, he quickly reduced the price to 50,000 VND, saying “this price was also valid for Vietnamese.”
Normally, a coconut on the streets of Saigon costs between 10,000 and 15,000 VND.
However, she refused and walked away.
Inspectors will work with police officers to clarify the incident and step up crackdowns on scams at tourist attractions and museums in the city, Le Truong Hien Hoa, deputy director of the municipal tourism department, was quoted as saying by Vietnamese News Agency.
The overload of foreign tourists has become a headache for the tourism industry.
Last August, a clothing seller at Ben Thanh Market was banned from doing business for a week after charging a Japanese tourist 12 times the normal price for socks.
The incident was widely shared on social media and YouTube channels, with many leaving negative comments about Vietnam tourism.