Two British receive back €8,000 from a resort on Phú Quốc island after an overcharging incident. — Photo from Phú Quốc authorities

PHÚ QUỐC — A resort on Phú Quốc island has refunded more than US$10,000 to two British tourists after a receptionist mistakenly charged their bank card far above the actual room bill, local authorities said on Thursday.

The error occurred when the resort’s front-desk staff incorrectly processed a payment, charging the guests’ card VNĐ292.425.000, while the actual room fee was only VNĐ29.242.500 – the difference was about over VNĐ263 million (or US$10,000 or €8,500).

The two tourists – Terry Wayne Furssedonn and Debra Churchill – sought help after the resort failed to return the money within three days as promised. Concerned about the unusually large sum being held while they were abroad, the pair contacted authorities on January 17 through an online complaints channel operated by the People's Committee of the special zone Phú Quốc.

The Phú Quốc quick response team has intervened immediately, verified the complaint and required the resort to issue a written commitment specifying a clear refund deadline to avoid disrupting the visitors’ travel plans.

Two days later, by January 19, the full amount had been returned to the tourists’ card under the supervision of the response team, the authorities said.

The British visitors praised the swift handling of the case, saying they were impressed by the dedication of local officials and the tourism response unit.

They felt safer knowing there's a dedicated force to protect tourists in all emergencies.

A senior official from the city administration said the incident demonstrated the authorities’ resolve to protect visitors and uphold the island’s tourism reputation. Although the tourism quick response team has yet to be formally launched, its “for residents, for visitors” ethos had already been put into practice, the official said, adding that procedures were under way to commend the team for its role in resolving the case.

Phú Quốc is also preparing to launch a dedicated tourist support centre, including this quick response force operating both online and on the ground. The team is tasked with handling complaints, addressing hotspots and dealing strictly with violations such as overcharging and harassment of visitors.

Authorities said the island is additionally setting up a multilingual hotline accessible via QR codes, allowing tourists to submit photos, videos and other evidence of misconduct on the spot as part of efforts to build a transparent and visitor-friendly tourism environment. — VNS