The travel agency that organised the
fatal tour that left 12 people dead in Ha Long Bay last month was shut down
yesterday, March 6, by the Ha Noi Sports, Culture and Tourism Department,
according to deputy director Mai Tien Dung.

Nu Hoang
Travel Company (AZ Queen) was also fined VND15 million (US$719) for operating
international travel services without a licence. The company accepted all the
fines.

According to inspectors, six of the 11 tourists who died after their boat sank
in Ha Long Bay booked their tours directly with AZ Queen, while the other five
made their purchases through company agents.

The
department ordered the company in co-operation with relevant authorities to pay
the consequences for the accident and compensate the families of the dead
tourists.

It also
asked for inspections to be carried out at travel agencies in the capital’s Hoan
Kiem District where AZ Queen is located to ensure companies are not operating
without a licence.

The Viet
Nam Tourism Administration has also been instructed to block any application for
an international tourism licence by Nguyen Van Hien, director of the company.

Operations at the Truong Hai Company which owned the boat were also suspended,
while the boat’s captain and chief engineer were detained for further
investigation.

The
department said most agencies that operated international travel services in the
city were licensed following regulations that ensured visitor safety.

Those
that did not have a licence, such as AZ Queen, offered low quality tours that
had a negative affect on the image of the city.

VietNamNet/Viet
Nam News