The Travel Industry Authority (TIA) announced today (April 13) that it has revoked the licenses of STAR LINK TRAVEL Limited and one of the tour guides in this company. The TIA stated that it had previously initiated proactive investigations into four cases involving mainland inbound tour group participants who were allegedly coerced into shopping.
The investigation found that the travel agent in question, while receiving the relevant mainland inbound tour groups between January and March this year, failed to take all reasonable steps to ensure that any participant of the inbound tour groups was not subjected to coerced shopping. Furthermore, the investigation found that, while receiving the relevant tour group in March this year, the tour guide in question made inappropriate remarks during the coach journey to shopping points that embarrassed passengers and threatened passengers who did not spend enough to make up the difference in tour fees.
After considering the findings, the TIA concluded that the inaction of the travel agent and the remarks made by the tour guide effectively subjected passengers to coerced shopping, constituting a serious breach of licensing conditions. The travel agent and tour guide involved had severely damaged the reputation of Hong Kong's tourism industry. Therefore, the TIA decided to take disciplinary action under Section 111 of the Travel Industry Ordinance and summarily revoke the relevant licenses of the travel agent and tour guide. The TIA said it would continue to follow up on and investigate the regulatory violations of the relevant individuals in the above cases, and did not rule out taking further disciplinary sanctions or prosecution action.
The TIA stressed that in deciding to impose disciplinary action under the Travel Industry Ordinance, it had weighed the relevant circumstances, including the impact of the travel agent and tour guide on the image and reputation of Hong Kong's tourism industry, and the need to send a clear message to the public and the industry that such conduct is absolutely unacceptable. The TIA reiterated that whether travel agents, tour guides, or tour escorts, all licensees must abide by the licensing conditions when operating a travel agent business or performing their duties. Breach of licensing conditions is a criminal offence, and upon conviction, carries a maximum fine of HK$100,000 and imprisonment for 2 years (for travel agents), or a fine of HK$50,000 and imprisonment for 1 year (for tour guides or tour escorts).
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