The Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee has asked the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism for their opinion on the city's plan to fine four travel companies in relation to 32 of their customers hiding in South Korea in October last year, Nguyen Minh Ly, chief inspector of the municipal Department of Tourism, said on Thursday.

Last year, about 100 Vietnamese citizens could not be contacted after their entry into the country through Yangyang International Airport in Gangwon Province, South Korea as tourists.

Of the total were 23 customers of Top Ten Travel Services Co. Ltd., three of Vietnam Travel and Marketing Transports JSC (Vietravel), three of Top Asian Travel Co. Ltd., and three of Cho Lon Tourist JSC.

The Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism in December last year proposed fining them and revoking their business licenses for a certain period.

Ly said the punishment of the four companies is beyond the jurisdiction of the department so it sent the proposal to the municipal People’s Committee.

The city later sought opinions from the Ministry of Justice and the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism as the punishment of the four companies would definitely affect many laborers.

Following the loss of contact with over 100 people in South Korea, inspectors of the Chi Minh City Department of Tourism worked with the four travel firms and confiscated related documents.

The department later proposed the municipal administration impose sanctions on the four firms for letting customers illegally hide abroad. They may face a fine of VND80-90 million (US$3,375-3,797) each.   

Two of them also face a fine of VND20-30 million ($843-1,265) each for not making contracts with customers as required by law.

The Department of Tourism suggested the municipal administration revoke these companies’ travel service business licenses for 12-18 months.

The department will continue coordinating with the municipal police and the Ministry of Public Security to prevent Vietnamese tourists from hiding in other countries to protect the images of the nation and its diplomatic relations with other countries.

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