The Department of Tourism of Ho Chi Minh City has just sent a document to the People’s Committee of Ho Chi Minh City to report the results of inspection, verification and handling of cases related to tourists who lost contact when traveling to Korea.
At the end of October 2022, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed that about 100 Vietnamese people lost contact after entering through Yangyang International Airport in Gangwon Province, South Korea for tourism purposes.
On the collected information, the Department of Tourism of Ho Chi Minh City directed the Department Inspector to check and verify the case and learned that these 100 tourists came from many different travel companies. These tour operators have signed a transportation contract with the airline, which is Kovic Vietnam Joint Stock Company – GSA Fly Gangwon Airlines (headquartered in Hanoi), the only unit that can organize flights to bring guests to Yangyang Island. , Gangwon Province.
Out of 100 tourists who lost contact, the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Tourism identified 32 guests from 4 travel companies in the area. Department inspectors have invited the legal representatives of these businesses to work and seize relevant records. Department inspectors identified violations, made a record of administrative violations, completed the dossier and submitted it to the Ho Chi Minh City People’s Committee to issue a decision to handle administrative violations for these 4 units.
Yangyang International Airport Gangwon Province. Photo: KTO
Specifically, the above companies are proposed to be sanctioned for the act of “letting tourists escape to stay abroad or stay in Vietnam illegally”, with a fine ranging from VND 80 million to VND 90 million. Out of the 4 violating travel agencies, 2 are proposed to be further sanctioned for the act of “No travel contract with enterprises, tourists or tourists’ representatives according to regulations”. This is fined from 20 million VND to 30 million VND…
Previously, from June 1, 2022, Vietnamese tourists in groups of 5 or more entering Yangyang International Airport under a designated travel agency are entitled to the visa-free policy of Gangwon Province, Korea. Country, with a maximum stay of 15 days.
However, after the incident of 100 Vietnamese tourists who lost contact after entering Korea for the purpose of traveling through this international airport, the airline and related travel companies had to temporarily stop bringing guests here until the end. October 31, 2022.
Source: CafeF