Consider administrative action against travel company for abandoning nearly 300 guests in Phu Quoc

According to the verification results, on September 12, 2023, Winner Vietnam International Travel Company Limited (referred to as Winner Company), headquartered in Phu Quoc city, had a contract confirmation record with We Love Tour Company, headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan (China).

On January 24, 2024, Winner Company sent 10 price quotes to 10 groups of guests to We Love Tour Company. However, because the two companies did not agree on the agreement, on January 31, 2024, Winner Company unilaterally sent a notice to stop providing services to We Love Tour Company, without confirmation or response from We Love Tour Company.

On February 9, 2024, a group of We Love Tour Company arrived at Phu Quoc International Airport. There was no car or tour guide for the group. We Love Tour Company contacted Winner Company to serve the group of 292 guests participating in the tour program in Phu Quoc. Winner Company negotiated with We Love Tour Company and contacted to rent a car to pick up and book a hotel room for the group.

Consider administrative action against the travel company that abandoned nearly 300 guests in Phu Quoc, photo 1

Taiwanese (China) tourists check in for their flight at noon on February 14.

During the service of the group, because We Love Tour Company did not pay as agreed, Winner Company requested the group to pay an additional amount of 720 USD/person (equivalent to 22,680 NTD/person) and contacted We Love Tour Company to negotiate.

We Love tour company responded that it will notify the tourist to pay and keep the invoice. We Love tour company will refund the tourist's card payment cost of 720 USD/person.

Winner Company reached an agreement with 90 customers and received payment by card from customers of about 1.8 million NTD (equivalent to 1.442 billion VND). The remaining customers did not agree.

According to the report of the Department of Tourism of Kien Giang province, although Winner Company unilaterally announced the termination of the contract, it still kept the previous deposit of 700,000 NTD, received on January 18, 2024. At the same time, it continued to serve the group of guests and collect service fees.

This shows that the company violated regulations when doing business in travel services: "There is no travel contract with the business, tourists or tourist representatives as prescribed".

Consider administrative action against the travel company that abandoned nearly 300 guests in Phu Quoc, photo 2

Taiwanese (Chinese) tourists check in at Phu Quoc airport.

Also according to Kien Giang Department of Tourism, based on legal regulations, Kien Giang Department of Tourism Inspectorate reviewed the violation and proceeded to handle administrative violations against Winner Company regarding the act of doing business in travel services: "No travel contract with businesses, tourists or representatives of tourists as prescribed".

Kien Giang Department of Tourism assigned the Department Inspectorate to continue collecting information and evidence to clarify issues related to the responsibilities of Winner Company and We Love Tour Company, leading to violations of tourists' rights, affecting tourists' rights and the image of Phu Quoc tourism, Kien Giang in particular and Vietnam tourism in general.

Previously, the Fucus Taiwan website of Taiwan (China) posted information with the content "Support Taiwanese tourists stranded in Vietnam". The above incident was reported on many domestic and foreign media.

The Vietnam National Administration of Tourism then sent a document to the Kien Giang Department of Tourism requesting clarification of the above information. The Kien Giang Department of Tourism has proceeded to clarify the above contents.

Previously, upon learning of the incident involving nearly 300 Taiwanese (Chinese) tourists being abandoned in Phu Quoc, Kien Giang authorities and the Taipei Economic and Cultural Office in Ho Chi Minh City made efforts to resolve the situation, supporting the Taiwanese (Chinese) group to stay and visit according to their original schedule and return to Taiwan (Chinese) at noon on February 14.

Source