On May 24th, a social media post by a user named Huyen Yumi sparked a debate about the fees charged by Au Lac Quang Ninh Joint Stock Company (under the Tuan Chau Group, Ha Long City, Quang Ninh Province) for team-building activities on their private beach within the Tuan Chau International Tourism Area. The post garnered a lot of attention and mixed reactions.
A guest’s social media post sparked mixed reactions.
“My group and I were staying at Tuan Chau and decided to spend the day at the beach. In the middle of our activities, a representative from the Tuan Chau Group approached us and asked for a fee of 30,000 VND per person for using the beach. When we refused to pay, they threatened to call security and have us removed. We had rented 50 hotel rooms and yet we were still being charged for using the beach. Is there any regulation that justifies this? Or is this a special rule for Quang Ninh province?” – Huyen Yumi’s social media post.
The post sparked a lot of discussion, with some people agreeing that it was reasonable to charge a fee for a large group engaging in team-building activities, as this is a common practice at beaches in Quang Ninh and other provinces. However, many also felt that the fee of 30,000 VND per person was excessive.
In response to the post, a representative of the Tuan Chau Group explained that the incident occurred at 4:40 PM on May 24th. Ms. HY and a group of over 50 people were organizing a team-building activity on the Tuan Chau beach, complete with ropes and audio equipment. The company further clarified that Ms. HY and her group were staying at the Charm Hill Hotel, which is not part of the Tuan Chau Group’s service ecosystem.
Upon learning of the team-building activity, representatives from the sales department and beach security approached Ms. HY to collect the fees for the activity, which were set at 30,000 VND per person. Despite explaining the regulations and providing documents outlining the fees for recreational activities on the beach, Ms. HY refused to pay. The staff of Au Lac Quang Ninh Joint Stock Company ultimately allowed the group to continue their activity and proceeded to clean the beach afterward.
Mr. Doan Manh Linh, Head of the Travel Management Department of the Quang Ninh Department of Tourism, confirmed that the Tuan Chau beach is privately invested and open to the public for free. He stated that it is reasonable for the beach management unit to charge a fee for organized recreational activities, including team-building, as long as the fees are publicly displayed. The company is responsible for ensuring safety, security, and maintaining the cleanliness of the beach environment.
On May 26th, Mr. Nguyen Ngoc Son, Vice Chairman of the Ha Long City People’s Committee, affirmed that the publicly displayed fees for recreational services, including team-building activities, at the Tuan Chau Tourism Area by the investing enterprise are in line with state regulations.
