CONQuest organizers apologize to ticketholders, to release refunds

Metro Manila (CNN Philippines, July 8) — Organizers of the 2023 CONQuest Festival apologized and vowed to refund ticketholders who were not able to enter the venue and attend events lined up last weekend due to long lines and overcrowding, which trended on social media.

"Questers, 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 statement.

They also opened a refund website for festival pass holders to input their details and process the return of their money.

The event was held at the SMX Convention Center from June 2 to 4. The first day ran smoothly but chaos hounded the next two days of the event, with reports of overselling of tickets that led to attendees flocking the venue.

One attendee has filed a request for urgent action before the Department of Trade and Industry regarding her "unsatisfactory experience" during the event.

"The overall experience left me deeply dissatisfied, as I believe the ₱800 I paid for the one-day pass did not match the level of service and organization provided," the letter read.

The organizers said they acknowledged the issues raised and committed to resolve them one by one in the coming days.

"One of our critical oversights was the overwhelming response to the event despite the tireless efforts made by the City of Pasay and our venue partners," they said. "Our objective is to do right by our community and enact sweeping changes and remedies to deliver the convention experience you deserve."

CONQuest co-founder and organizer Justin Banusing also took to Twitter to apologize about their mishaps and lapses in managing the event.

The festival was dubbed the biggest celebration of gaming, music, and pop culture in the country.