The Department of Tourism in Kien Giang Province in southern Vietnam has required supporting nearly 300 Taiwanese tourists who were left stranded on Phu Quoc Island in the province to visit the island and return to Taiwan as scheduled.

Bui Quoc Thai, director of the department, confirmed on Tuesday that the Taiwanese tourists encountered the unexpected incident while visiting Phu Quoc during the ongoing Lunar New Year holiday, or Tet.

The incident was due to a financial dispute between a Taiwanese travel agency and a local operator. 

Thai said local firms supported the tourists in visiting and experiencing services in Phu Quoc City and would work with the Taiwanese travel firm offering the tour to these travelers after the travelers return to Taiwan.

The department has coordinated with relevant agencies to clarify the case and would handle it without damaging Phu Quoc’s images, Thai said.

Dam Dieu Quan, head of the office of Hoang Tra Travel and Trade Co. Ltd. in Phu Quoc, said the tourists had booked a tour to Phu Quoc through We Love Tour, a travel company in Taipei, Taiwan. The company had collected money from the tourists.

The tourists arrived in Phu Quoc on Saturday last week and were scheduled to return to Taiwan on Tuesday.

Two Vietnamese travel firms – Winner Vietnam and Hoang Tra – welcomed and served the tourists but have yet to receive any payment from the Taiwanese partner.

Quan added that his company had contacted the Taiwanese partner.

“We have paid over VND2 billion [US$81,518] for [the tourists’] catering and entertainment services, excluding accommodations.

“After Tet, we will travel to Taiwan to work [with the Taiwanese partner]. The group of nearly 300 tourists will return to Taiwan at 9:00-11:00 am on Tuesday as scheduled,” Quan informed.

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