Vietnam Independence Palace Introduces New Photo Fee

The Independence Palace in Vietnam has introduced a new fee for visitors who bring cameras. They must pay between VND500,000 and VND10 million.

Visitors are unsure if they need to pay just for taking personal photos with a camera.

A visitor said she was surprised to hear that bringing a camera could cost 10 times the entrance ticket.

She usually carries a small camera for personal photos and finds the new fee confusing.

Visitors with cameras must pay VND500,000 for photography inside and outside the palace.

For photography crews of up to eight people, the fee is VND1.5 million for outdoor shoots and VND3 million for indoor and outdoor shoots.

The palace offers a VND10-million monthly package for 10 outdoor photo shoots.

Commercial productions need to contact the management for separate arrangements.

Visitors are touring the Independence Palace in Ho Chi Minh City.

The palace director says the new fee is to regulate professional photography crews.

Some crews occupy popular photo spots for long periods and use bulky equipment.

The fee is to regulate the use of space, not to generate revenues.

It only applies to photography service providers, not ordinary tourists.

The director admitted the wording is unclear and causes confusion.

The management will revise the terminology to make things clear.

Security staff identify professional photographers based on their equipment.

The management claims there have been no disputes since the new fee schedule.

A photographer had a different experience and was asked to pay a fee.

He was carrying only a digital camera and no other equipment.

There was no notice at the entrance or inside the site.

He thinks VND500,000 is expensive for ordinary tourists and students.

Charging for filming at heritage sites is not unusual in Vietnam.

The Vietnam National Fine Arts Museum charges VND300,000 per camera.

Film crews producing reportage or documentary content are charged VND5-20 million.

Other heritage sites have a flexible approach to photography fees.

At An Dinh Palace, visitors can take personal photos with phones or cameras.

Most attractions distinguish between personal and commercial photography.

At the Louvre and Palace of Versailles, visitors can take personal photos.

Visitors are taking photos at the Independence Palace in Ho Chi Minh City.

A tourism researcher says heritage sites should not charge for personal photography.

Fees should be reserved for commercial activities like advertisements and music videos.

Visitors' photos can promote the site and attract more tourists.

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