On December 31st, leaders of Phu Quoc Special Zone (An Giang) said that the Special Zone People's Committee had just issued a notice on warning of the risk of booking hotel rooms through online applications and recommended ensuring the rights of tourists in Phu Quoc special zone.
Recently, some social networking sites and online platforms have appeared information reflecting that tourists book hotel rooms through applications (apps)/websites but when they come to Phu Quoc, there are no rooms, they have to rent other accommodations at high prices, causing panic for tourists and affecting Phu Quoc tourism image.
Faced with the above situation, Phu Quoc Special Zone People's Committee directed the inter-sectoral inspection team on Tourism to conduct inspections and verify to clarify the reflected contents.
Through inspection, review, and working with a number of accommodation establishments and tourism businesses in the area, especially establishments according to information reflected on social networks, the inter-sectoral inspection team determined that a few business establishments did not strictly comply with the regulations on price listing or did not fully list the Internal Regulations of accommodation establishments.
Most of the reflected cases originate from subjective reasons of tourists. Specifically, such as: booking rooms through websites, applications that are not official, without a clear legal entity (virtual website/app); no valid room booking confirmation from the accommodation establishment; transferring money through unsecured channels, not contacting the confirmation directly with the hotel before arrival.
Phu Quoc Special Zone People's Committee affirmed: Local authorities always pay attention to and drastically direct state management of tourism, ensuring a safe, healthy, and transparent tourism environment. Resolutely and strictly handle violations, if detected, tourism service business establishments violate regulations on prices, trade fraud, infringe on tourist rights, and do not let false information affect the reputation and image of Phu Quoc tourism.
Functional agencies continue to strengthen monitoring, inspection, and verification of tourists' reflections; and at the same time strictly handle violations according to legal regulations.
To ensure safety and the legitimate rights of tourists, functional agencies recommend that when you need to book a room, you should only book through reputable applications and websites with clear legal information. Check carefully to confirm room booking, contact information of the hotel and store full transaction documents.
Proactively contact the accommodation facility directly to confirm the room status before the arrival time. Be wary of signs of abnormally cheap prices, requesting money transfer outside the application or without invoices or valid confirmation.
If suspecting the risk of being scammed, tourists should proactively contact the hotline number to receive feedback and recommendations from the special zone or the nearest local police to be supported and helped.
The People's Committee of the special zone also requested accommodation establishments and tourism service business units in the area to strictly comply with the provisions of law for registered business lines. Strictly implement price listing and selling at listed prices, not arbitrarily increasing prices or forcing prices on tourists in any form.
Ensure keeping rooms according to booking confirmation, closely coordinate with online booking platforms; promptly update room status and room prices on the system to avoid causing misunderstandings and arising disputes.
Implement the locking of room bookings, not selling rooms when accommodation establishments stop operating, report the above content to online travel agents.
