The People's Committee of Quang Ninh province provided their feedback on information that an Australian tourist complained about the inferior quality of a cruise ship at Ha Long Bay, on May 21.

The Hoang Phuong 16 ship is not licensed to operate on Ha Long Bay  

According to the press release issued by the Quang Ninh provincial People's Committee on May 21, Australian Ms. Lynne Ryan, booked a two-day cruise at Ha Long Bay from May 2-3 through the Spring Travel Agency, located at No.21, Ngo Huyen Street, Hoan Kiem District, Hanoi.

However, Lynne Ryan and her five friends were taken to Hai Phong to visit Cat Ba Island but not Ha Long Bay. They also boarded a ship named Hoang Phuong 16 which she found was riddled with rats, cockroaches, filthy toilets and hard beds, which differed from the glossy brochure showing a beautiful boat.

Ho Quang Huy, vice chairman of Ha Long city People's Committee, said that the list of passengers registered to stay overnight at Ha Long Bay did not include Lynne Ryan. In addition, Huy said that the Hoang Phuong 16 ship was sold to a business in Hai Phong in August 2017 and that the ship is not licensed to operate on Ha Long Bay.

To avoid any negative effects on Ha Long tourism, the People's Committee of Quang Ninh province has requested that the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism and the Vietnam National Administration of tourism work with the agencies concerned to inspect and handle the case of Spring Travel Agency for selling tourist services that are of an inferior quality to that which was agreed upon.

Quang Ninh also suggested that the Ministry of Information and Communications and the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism should provide official information for international and domestic media agencies, saying that the above incident does not occur at the Ha Long Bay in Quang Ninh province in order to protect the image of the destination.

In addition, Quang Ninh also proposed that the People's Committee of Hai Phong City strictly manages tourist ships operating in the Cat Ba area and to not allow ships of inferior quality to welcome guests.

Nhan Dan