Organizers of the “chaotic” ConQuest Festival 2023 announced that it is ready to refund pass holders who were not able to enter the venue on the second and third day of the pop culture convention.
The Facebook page of the recently-concluded event said that “questers” who failed to go inside the sites due to the extremely long queues may file for a refund of their day passes, including premium pass holders.
“We sincerely apologize for the inconvenience and discomfort that many of you experienced during CONQuest due to the long lines outside the convention,” the organizers said in a post on Wednesday, June 7.
“We recognize that your experience did not meet your expectations, and we will make amends starting with the release of the refund details for those not able to enter the venue on Day 2 and Day 3,” they added.
According to them, the following are eligible for the refunds:
- Day 2 and 3 pass holders who were not able to enter the venue and received a refund code
- Day 2 and Day 3 pass holders who have not claimed a wristband using their QR code
- Day 2 and Day 3 pass holders who were not able to enter the venue but did not receive a refund code OR do not fall into any of the cases above
- Premium pass holders who were not able to enter the venue but did not receive a refund code
Organizers said they would only accept refund requests filed before June 16, 11:59 p.m.
The refunds, they said, will be processed within one month.
They also acknowledged that one of their “critical oversights” was the “overwhelming response to the event.”
“We acknowledge that there are several issues that need to be addressed besides this, and we are dedicated to resolving them one by one in the following days,” the CONQuest organizers said.
“Our objective is to do right by our community and enact sweeping changes and remedies to deliver the convention experience you deserve,” they added.
Con-goers can file refund requests through the website link provided on the Facebook post itself.
The webpage includes a FAQs or a Frequently Asked Question section below the refund guidelines.
These include questions on the refund timeline and discounts.
The pop culture convention was held from June 2 to 4 in different venues, namely at the SMX Convention Center, the entirety of the Seashell Lane for the festival’s “Food Street” and other areas in Mall of Asia, National University‘s MOA Campus, and Conrad Manila.
It was touted as the biggest CONQuest Festival, with past reports saying over 70 local and international guests and talents were expected to attend.
The convention instead drew flak from some fans and enthusiasts who took to social media to air their grievances on overcrowding, hours-long queues, and alleged mismanagement of some events.
One con-goer told Interaksyon that the SMX Convention Center’s second-level floor slightly shook due to the large volume of people inside.
CONQuest 2023 director Justin Banusing apologized and said that while there was “overpromising [and] overselling,” the mishaps were not done with malicious intent.
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