Perceived Value of Logistics Management
Tourists were also asked their perceived value of 28 financial, physical, and information flow components of logistics management in HCMC. Scores were provided on a scale of l to 10 with l being the lowest and 10 the highest. The scores for the financial flow management components are provided in Table 10. The perceived value for all financial flow components was average with all items scoring 5 or 6. Ease of currency exchange (6.89) had the highest value and availability of credit cards (5.31) the lowest. Credit cards are not widely accepted in Vietnam and as a result, most tourists must rely on cash. The sample variance and standard deviation for the financial flow management components was small indicating most visitors had similar perceptions. Tourists’ perceived value of physical flow management components for HCMC is shown in Table 1. Availability of package tours (6.53) had the highest value and public transport (5.14) the lowest. As with the financial flow components, the value of all items was average (scores of 5 and 6 only) with a small sample variance. The transportation-related items received the lowest scores. Public transport in HCMC is very limited and with most residents using motorcycles, accidents are common. The transportation system has not been able to keep up with the rapid economic development in the city. Tourists’ perceived value of information flow management components for HCMC is shown in Table 12. As with financial and physical flow management, all items were given average ratings. Information management is still not highly appreciated by managers and policymakers in HCMC. This reflects Vietnam’s recent past as a centrally planned economy with its emphasis on planning and mandating policy rather than providing information for the public to utilize in decision-making. Tourism promotion websites are rarely updated. Information dissemination is still inferior to neighboring countries such as Thailand, Singapore, and Malaysia. Three general questions on overall logistics management in HCMC each received scores of 6.00, mirroring the average scores for all the individual components discussed above. Tourists provided a strong consensus that logistics management in HCMC is of average value, with neither obvious weak nor strong points.