Many domestic travel companies 'circumvent the law' to sell international tours

(Baonghean) - The phenomenon of domestic travel agencies selling international tours and providing services to take tourists to other provinces without a license is increasing. This is an activity that violates the Tourism Law, affects the travel business environment and, more importantly, causes disadvantages for tourists.

Failure to keep commitments

Mr. Nguyen Cong Nam - an officer of Thuong Son Primary School (Do Luong) told about being scammed by Asia Tourism and Trade Joint Stock Company in a tour to Hanoi - Quang Ninh with a schedule of 4 days and 5 nights. His unit participated in the tour with more than 20 people at a price of over 3 million VND/person, and was promised to stay in a 3-star hotel and enjoy delicious dishes from 3 regions to suit their taste. However, when they arrived, the group only stayed in a shabby motel, and the food, according to him, was no better than ordinary rice.

More specifically, because the company did not pay the accommodation unit in Quang Ninh, he had to lend the tour guide 2 million VND to pay for the hotel by pawning his documents and gold ring. He also said that through information on social networks, the Department of Tourism also met with him to investigate and he provided clips, photos, and recordings to prove the fraud of Asia Tourism and Trade Joint Stock Company, but so far there has been no response from the authorities.

Tour guide giving a presentation at Kim Lien relic site. Photo: Phuong Chi

Recently, Ms. Nguyen Thanh Nhan - an officer of STB Company reported on her personal Facebook that she was "cheated" by TN Travel Company. This company is only allowed to sell domestic tours, but has sold international tours by not directly signing a contract but brokering for a company with a license to register for international tour business.

However, when her group went to Laos - Thailand, the commitments in the contract drafted by TN Travel Company were not implemented, which were to enjoy services such as staying at a 3-star hotel, the group would eat at famous Lao and Thai restaurants...

In particular, the tourist attractions that she was introduced to were cut down quite a bit, and in addition, shopping spots were not included in the itinerary... Ms. Nhan met with the Director of TN Tourism Company to clarify, but he refused on the grounds that he had not signed the contract so it could not be resolved.

Difficult to manage...

One thing that both cases have in common is that they were not compensated for the contract as promised. Mr. Nguyen Mai Duong - Chief Inspector of the Department of Tourism said: "When we discover that a travel agency has signs of violations, we will immediately set up a surprise inspection team, but we have never met the director right away, and when we arrive, we have to reschedule the appointment."

Regarding the Asia Tourism and Trade Joint Stock Company's fraudulent behavior towards customers, Mr. Nguyen Mai Duong - Chief Inspector of the Department of Tourism said: "We tried to contact the company's director, and even went to the locations where this unit registered online such as 28 Nguyen Sy Sach Street - Vinh City, or in Do Thanh Commune - Yen Thanh, but we could not meet the company's representative. The Department also sent an official dispatch to the Department of Planning and Investment requesting to cancel the legal status of this enterprise, but the Department of Planning and Investment requested to provide the company's violations, while we have not been able to collect them yet."

According to Mr. Nguyen Mai Duong, fraud cases like the Asia Tourism and Trade Joint Stock Company, although not many, have shown that the widespread licensing, leading to difficulty in control, has caused significant consequences in the travel business market.

When discussing this issue with the Business Registration Office of the Department of Planning and Investment, an officer said: "If according to Clause 1, Article 211 of the Enterprise Law, the license cannot be revoked unless there is a conclusion of an inspection or examination of violations such as: The registration content in the business license is fake; or the enterprise stops doing business for 1 year without notifying the business registration office and tax authority."

However, Mr. Nguyen Mai Duong said that up to now, the Department of Planning and Investment has not announced anything about this inspection, "so we do not know whether this Asia Tourism and Trade Joint Stock Company is still operating or not."

PhucGroup Tourism Investment Company guides tourists at destinations in Nghe An. Photo: PV

Currently, there are 49 travel agencies in the province, including 19 international travel agencies and 29 domestic travel agencies. According to regulations, a travel agency licensed to conduct international tours must comply with strict conditions such as depositing 500 million VND in a bank, having at least 3 certified tour guides..., while a domestic travel agency only needs a business license to operate.

According to Ms. Nguyen Thi Minh Hong - Head of the Travel Management Department (Department of Tourism), there is a reality that every season, all domestic travel agencies can broker international guests, so we are proposing to the General Department of Tourism that there should be strong enough sanctions to tighten the activities of domestic travel agencies.

In addition, it is necessary to increase surprise inspections, require presentation of tourism transportation contracts; accommodation and restaurant contracts, and more importantly, there should be a deposit clause with the bank to make the travel business environment transparent.

Thanh Nga