According to TripAdvisor’s press release announced on 10th September, Hanoi was 10th city in top 10 places worldwide to beware pickpockets. In this list, Barcelona was named 1st place to beware pickpockets; Rome (Italy) named 2nd, Prague (Czech Republic) named 3rd, after that were Madrid (Spain), Paris (France), Florence (Italy), Buenos Aires (Argentina), Amsterdam (Netherlands) Athens (Greece).When appearing on the internet, these information immediately drew the attention because the list of most attractive destinations in the world with beautiful landscape, culture, history, very famous ancient monuments, as far as tourist attractiveness. From the view point of simple-minded people: “Pickpocketing, purse-snatch only happens in crowded places. So when tourism grows, with the enormous crowds at the popular attractions, tourists will be distracted the prime targets for thieves. However, the list was really indignant with the people who fall in love with Hanoi, especially the manager of culture and tourism.
Deputy Director of Ha Noi's Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism Mr.Mai Tien Dung said: “In my opinion, top 10 places worldwide to beware pickpockets in which Hanoi was named at 10th place has to be analysis, assessment with relatively comprehensive data of tourism statistical indicators”.
If there are many pickpockets in Hanoi as Tripadvisor says, why tourists still vote Hanoi as one of the most attractive destinations of Asia and the world? For years, many visitors around the world and experts in tourism fields said that Hanoi is an indispensible destination in trips of foreign tourists when visiting Vietnam.
Secretary of the Hanoi Party Committee Pham Quang Nghi said that: “I don't understand what Tripadvisor based on to rank this list. Pickpockets in Hanoi are rare”.
Since identifying tourism as a key economic sector, Hanoi has always strives for becoming one of the safe destinations in the world. From the point of view of visitor and many experts in tourism fields, this list is not convinced, especially comparision with other countries. As one of Spain tourist shared that, visiting Hanoi make me feel peaceful and this city just fit with the honorable name City for Peace by UNESCO.
2 special things which Vietnamese tourist visited Paris - The City of Light have to pay attention to pickpocket and dog poop. Acording to TripAdvisor’s editors, draws enormous crowds from the base of the Eiffel Tower to the steps of Sacre-Coeur and everywhere in between. But enormous crowds can also be found below ground, in the city's metro system, where travelers should be especially cautious.
When Vietnamese tourist visited Republic of South Africa – an attractive destinations of backpacking tourism, Embassy of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam in this country had to warning about pickpocket, purse-snatchers.
According to TripAdvisor’s editors, visitors would do well to watch their bags particularly in major European cities, where many popular outdoor attractions are tourist havens - and prime targets for purse-snatchers.
Athens - legendary city of Greece features countless ancient monuments but according to TripAdvisor’s editors, whether visiting the Parthenon on the Acropolis, or anything else in this magnificent historic city, visitors should keep the bags close to the vest while your eyes admire the rest.
There's no deny that Hanoi has pickpockets but with the 7 million population city and the number of tourists increasing, about 2.5 million international tourists in 2013 (and in 2014, Hanoi strives to welcome 3 million international tourists), the level of pickpocket in Hanoi do not seriously like the list of TripAdvisor.
