Taipei-based We Love Tours has been slapped with a fine of NT$810,000 (US$25,800) for abandoning nearly 300 Taiwanese tourists on Phu Quoc Island amid a payment dispute with a Vietnam-based tour operator.
The tourists, booked for a four-day tour, found no transportation or lodging due to a payment dispute with local partner WinnER International Travel.
The Taiwan Tourism Administration imposed the penalty, citing violations of tourism laws, and mandated full payment by 26 February. We Love Tours has also been suspended for three months.
Winner International Travel has also been fined for "violating regulations when providing travel services”, though the exact amount has yet to be announced by the Tourism Department of Kien Giang Province.
We Love Tours cited financial troubles for its inability to compensate stranded travellers. Investigations revealed the company's financial difficulties and debts exceeding NT$10 million (US$318,630).