According to investigations from the Kien Giang Provincial Department of Tourism, Winner International Travel Company agreed on September 12 last year with Taiwanese We Love Tour Travel Company to serve 292 Taiwanese tourists to Phu Quoc Island from February 9-14.
The Taiwanese firm deposited TWD700,000 on January 18 with the Vietnamese firm which then sent a quote to the Taiwanese partner. However, the two had not reached an agreement about the price of services.
On January 31, Winner International sent a notice to We Love Tour, saying that they would stop co-operating with the latter in receiving the tourists. However, the Vietnamese firm received no response from the Taiwanese company.
The Vietnamese firm kept the deposit despite breaking their agreement.
On February 9, the group of Taiwanese tourists arrived at Phu Quoc International Airport but no guides were waiting for them.
A representative of We Love Tour then contacted Winner International to take care of the visitors. However, the Taiwanese agency failed to pay as agreed, forcing the Vietnamese company to request the tourists to pay USD720 per person.
Although We Love Tour informed their customers that they would be refunded when they returned to Taiwan, only 90 of them agreed to pay.
Kien Giang authorities asked concerned agencies and Bamboo Airlines to support the tourists who ended their tour and returned to Taiwan on February 14 as scheduled.
The Kien Giang Provincial Department of Tourism concluded that Winner Company had violated regulations when providing travel services as "kept the deposit, served the group of tourists and collected service fees despite unilaterally terminating the contract."
"This incident has affected the rights of the tourists and affected the tourism image of Phu Quoc and Vietnam," said director of the tourism department, Bui Quoc Thai.
