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CONQuest2023 Event Organizers Apologize For Long Lines, Overcrowded Venue

The Philippine media company ABS-CBN reported on Sunday that the organizers of the CONQuest2023 anime convention held in Manila last weekend have apologized for long lines and an overcrowded venue. AcadArena co-founder and CONQuest head organizer Justin Banusing tweeted that the team "overpromised" by scaling up its guest list and event programming significantly from the previous year.

"I know you've been looking forward to this event all-year and it sucked that not everyone who wanted to experience CQ was able to do so," he said. "Worse is that I hyped it up a LOT – and hype means nothing when you cannot enjoy it."

ABS-CBN reported that con goers waited for as long as five hours over Sunday for entry. The lines spanned from the SMX Convention Center to Ocean Drive almost a kilometer away.

LOOK: The #CONQuest2023 crowd waiting to get in since around 10 a.m. this Sunday, with the lines spanning until Ocean Drive adjacent to SMX, where major events are scheduled. | via @mac_coloma

📸: Mark Demayo, ABS-CBN News pic.twitter.com/M013nL9Wj5

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) June 4, 2023

Banusing vowed to issue refunds for those who failed to enter the venue due to overcrowding. He said that refund instructions will be sent over the week via HelixPay to those who did not claim their wristbands. Staff also distributed food as an apology for the long wait.

The organizers also posted an apology and refund information on Facebook on Saturday. They commented: "We fully take accountability for this."

Source: ABS-CBN (Angela Coloma)