Regional Tourism Operators Face High Operational Risk
- Operational Risk Index: High exposure for regional tourism operators facing official measures regarding heritage site access.
The Ongoing Controversy Over Unguided Tomb Access
The operational dispute centers on the final resting place of M’Nut Kuor, a revered 19th-century chieftain in Buon Don district. The Biet Dien Tourism Hotel branch—operating under a five-year lease signed in August 2025 at 3.6 million VND annually—charged visitors a 15,000 VND entry fee before handing over physical keys to unlock the gate.
Visitors who declined to pay an extra 200,000 VND guide fee were instructed to open the tomb themselves, lock up afterward, and return the keys to the ticket booth alongside a 50,000 VND security deposit. Department officials discovered that ticket staff continued utilizing this method as recently as the afternoon of October 5, even pitching a 100,000 VND combo package while telling undercover reporters that the 3-kilometer journey to the locked site necessitated self-service entry.
Dak Lak Authorities Reject Unmonitored Exploration Practices
Dak Lak’s provincial tourism authorities firmly rejected the practice, with the department director stating that no approved tourism service operates by handing out keys for unmonitored exploration. Officials noted that the fees collected by the business were never sanctioned by competent state authorities.
Duc, deputy director of the Biet Dien tourism bureau, defended the operational structure by arguing that allowing travelers inside without a guide leaves them entirely uneducated about local culture. Duc maintained that management had already instructed personnel to halt the key-handing practice and promised a complete reorganization of ticketing staff.
Traditional Stakeholders and Commercial Operators Split Site Management
The M’Nut Kuor tomb remains deeply intertwined with the religious and cultural life of local ethnic minority communities. M’Nut Kuor, who lived from 1828 to 1938, earned the title “K’Junôt” and established Buon Don as a foundational hub for wild elephant hunting and taming.
Site management remains split between traditional stakeholders and commercial operators. Two physical keys exist for the gated compound: one retained by YMK, 66, and his daughter HTN, 36, for religious rites, and a second held by the commercial management unit for tourism operations. As provincial inspectors step in to enforce corrective measures, the business faces strict oversight to bring visitor protocols into compliance with state cultural standards.
