The Vietnam National Authority of Tourism under the Ministry of Culture, Sports, and Tourism on Wednesday asked the Department of Tourism in Kien Giang Province, located in southern Vietnam, to clarify a case in which nearly 300 Taiwanese tourists were left stranded on Phu Quoc Island.

The authority made the move to safeguard the interests of tourists and mitigate the risk of disseminating inaccurate information that could harm Vietnam's tourism reputation.

It urged the tourism agency in Kien Giang to promptly furnish official information regarding the case to media outlets and the Vietnam National Authority of Tourism.

The Kien Giang Department of Tourism is also required to strengthen the oversight of local travel companies and tourist destinations.

The authority had previously received information indicating that a Vietnamese travel company had hosted and provided services to the nearly 300 Taiwanese travelers.

On Tuesday, Bui Quoc Thai, director of the Kien Giang Department of Tourism, affirmed that the Taiwanese tourists experienced an unforeseen incident while visiting Kien Giang's Phu Quoc during the 2024 Lunar New Year holiday, also known as Tet.

Ha Tuan Minh, director of Winner International Travel Co. Ltd. in Phu Quoc City, said We Love Tour, a travel company in Taipei, Taiwan, booked a tour to the island for its customers between Saturday last week and Wednesday this week.

As the Taiwanese partner failed to make payments before January 31 as committed, Winner International Travel nullified their contract.

However, the Taiwanese company still sent the tourists to Phu Quoc while there were no vehicles, accommodations, and tour guides available for them.

Winner International Travel agreed to dispatch four vehicles to pick up the tourists, provide them with hotel accommodations, and extend the payment deadline for the Taiwanese partner until last week Sunday.

The Kien Giang authorities also provided support and the nearly 300 Taiwanese travelers returned to Taiwan on Wednesday as scheduled.

Thai stated that the Kien Giang Department of Tourism is collaborating with the People’s Committee of Phu Quoc City and other relevant agencies to evaluate the contract between We Love Tour and Winner International Travel.

The province expressed disapproval of the unprofessional conduct of the Taiwanese travel company and emphasized that Vietnamese tour operators would face sanctions if they were found to be in violation, Thai added.

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