VietNamNet Bridge – With support from Vietnamese and Thai authorities, all of the 701 tourists stranded in Bangkok over the weekend are now back in HCM City.

Agency questioned after travelers left stranded in Thailand

The tourists, who are all Vietnamese agents for the company Herbalife, were stuck in Thailand because of a dispute between a Vietnamese travel company and its Thai partner.—File Photo

The tourists, who are all Vietnamese agents for the company Herbalife, were stuck in Thailand because of a dispute between a Vietnamese travel company and its Thai partner.

A representative of Thailand's Tourism Authority based in HCM City told Viet Nam News on Wednesday, June 20, that it had told the Thai partner to ensure the safe return of the tourists and provide them with basic services.

More than half of the group arrived on Monday and the remaining on Tuesday evening at HCM City's Tan Son Nhat airport.

The 701 tourists were among 3,000 Herbalife agents who had travelled to Bangkok for a company seminar and tour scheduled from June 12-18.

All of the 701 tourists had booked package tours, with the HCM City-based Travel Life company but when they arrived in Bangkok, the Thai travel company, Thai 2020, refused to offer any services, including pick-up at the airport.

The company said that Travel Life had paid only 30 per cent of the contracted costs for the package tours, and that it could not service 701 people without the rest of the payment.

En Viet Ltd Company, a Vietnam Airlines agent, is also waiting for money from its own agent, My Uc A company, which has not received full payment from Travel Life.

According to HCM City authorities, Travel Life, which was founded two years ago, has never received a license to conduct outbound tours. It is permitted to only book tours within Viet Nam.

An inspection team from the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism on Monday (June 17) visited the Travel Life office, but the director, Nguyen Thi Kim Khanh, was not there.

A company spokesperson told media that it had received VND4.5 billion ($213,794) from the 701 tourists but that it had failed to pay its Thai partner.

The department also found that Travel Life registered to operate on 34 Nhat Chi Mai Street in Ward 13 in Tan Binh District, but its office is located at 26/30 Tan Son Nhi Street in Tan Phu District in HCM City.

A Viet Nam News reporter visited the Travel Life office on Wednesday afternoon but it was closed. The director could not be reached by phone.

A representative of the Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism said that it would ask the police to investigate the case.

In a statement released to Viet Nam News on Tuesday evening (June 18), Herbalife said it wanted to clarify that it did not organise the tour. The statement said the company "waived responsibility" in the case.

Travel firms under scrutiny

The Viet Nam National Administration of Tourism has announced that it would strengthen management over the operation of all travel firms in the country.

Nguyen Huu Tho, chairman of the Viet Nam Tourism Association, said the case had left a negative impression of the country.

Vo Anh Tai, chairman of the HCM City Travel Association, who is also general director of Saigontourist, said more and more bogus travel firms or companies without licenses were being established.

Tai has asked concerned authorities to strictly punish any travel companies that cheat customers.

A salesperson at Saigontourist, who declined to be named, said that many tour operators had cut prices to attract customers, but the quality of the tours was poor.

For instance, tour programmes include more shopping time instead of visits to tourist spots. Hotels are often located in the suburbs and tours depart late at night and return early in morning, she said.

Other travel firms are not transparent in pricing, which often are exclusive of tax, surcharges and tips for tour guides, she added.

* Travel Life forced to stop int’l tours for wrongdoings

For abandoning 700 tourists of Herbalife in Thailand, Travel Life has been financially penalized and forced to stop operating international tours, heard a meeting between the director of the travel company and relevant agencies.

Nguyen Thi Kim Khanh, director of Travel Life, on Wednesday signed a document admitting the wrongdoings of her company, including operating outbound tours with no license, not informing about their operations and changing location without notice.

“The tourism authorities only punish (Travel Life) for the faults provided in the Tourism Law with a fine of tens of millions of dong. As for other issues directly related to the contracts with tourists, tourists can file lawsuits,” said a representative from the HCMC Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism.

He informed Travel Life had not directly signed a contract with Herbalife for operating a tour to Thailand for Herbalife’s customers.

“Travel Life signed a lot of contracts for organizing tours for hundreds of customers. Each contract was signed for a group of customers by a sales team leader of Herbalife or another representative,” he said.

Under one contract, Travel Life brought over 700 tourists to Thailand from June 12 to 18. However, as the tour operator had not fully paid its Thai partner, the partner refused to provide services.

The abandoned tourists had difficulties returning home since the company had not fully paid airfares either.

On hearing about this accident, management agencies went to the headquarters of Travel Life, but Khanh was not there and could not be reached by any means. All tourists returned home this Tuesday after management agencies and some partners had intervened.

Director of a large travel firm in HCMC said the penalty for Travel Life was not heavy enough and not adequate although it was imposed according to the Tourism Law.

With a fine of only tens of millions of dong for each violation, violators can pay fines and continue their business or establish new companies. For this reason, many companies are willing to pay fines to commit violations.

Source: VNS/SGT