New information on the case of nearly 300 Taiwanese tourists being "abandoned" in Phu Quoc.

The Kien Giang Province Department of Tourism has just reported on the results of the verification of the incident in which nearly 300 Taiwanese tourists were "abandoned" in Phu Quoc.

Accordingly, on September 12, 2023, Winner Company (headquartered in Phu Quoc City, Kien Giang Province) had a record confirming the contract with We Love Tour Company (headquartered in Taipei, Taiwan, China) on receiving tourist groups from here.

Diễn biến bất ngờ trong vụ gần 300 du khách Đài Loan bị — Taiwanese tourists on a recent tour of Phu Quoc.

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

On February 9, a group of guests from We Love Tour Company arrived at Phu Quoc airport without a car or tour guide to pick them up.

We Love Tour Company contacted Winner Company about this issue. The two sides agreed that Winner Company would arrange a pick-up vehicle and book hotel rooms for the group.

During the service, 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 tourists to pay and keep the receipt so that the company can refund the cost of the card payment to the customer after they return to Taiwan.

Winner Company reached an agreement with 90 customers and received payment by card from customers of about 1.8 million NTD (equivalent to more than 1.4 billion VND), the remaining customers did not agree.

"Although Winner Company has unilaterally announced the termination of the contract, it still keeps the previous deposit of 700,000 NTD. At the same time, it continues to serve the group and collect service fees.

This shows that the company violated regulations when doing travel business without having a travel contract with businesses, tourists or tourist representatives as prescribed," said a report from the Kien Giang Department of Tourism.

Based on legal regulations, the Inspectorate of Kien Giang Department of Tourism reviewed the violation and proceeded to handle administrative violations against Winner Company for the above-mentioned behavior.

At the same time, assign the Inspectorate of Kien Giang Department of Tourism to continue collecting information and evidence to clarify issues related to the responsibilities of Winner Company and We Love Tour Company that led to the infringement of tourists' rights.

Previously, Taiwan's Fucus Taiwan website posted information about a group of Taiwanese tourists who booked tour packages with We Love Tour Company to visit Phu Quoc. This group of nearly 300 people arrived in Phu Quoc and was received by Winner Company.

Winner Company announced that each individual would have to pay an additional $720 per person to continue providing tourism services. This request was met with backlash and criticism from guests on social media.

The incident was reported on many domestic and international media. The group of tourists left Phu Quoc for Vietnam at noon on February 14.

Afterwards, the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism) sent a document to the Kien Giang Provincial Department of Tourism requesting clarification of this incident.

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