A Hong Kong tour guide accused of threatening visitors into making shopping purchases has been struck off for damaging the sector’s reputation and breaching professional conduct, in the second disciplinary action of its kind in less than two months.
The Travel Industry Authority said on Friday it revoked Siu Man-chung’s tour guide licence after investigating complaints that Siu made “inappropriate remarks” to pressure inbound mainland Chinese visitors into shopping during tours conducted between February and April this year.
The authority said in a Friday statement that it took disciplinary action in accordance with the Travel Industry Ordinance and revoked Siu’s tour guide licence that same day.
The authority did not release further details about the incidents in the statement.
But it reiterated its “zero-tolerance” policy towards “coerced shopping and any behaviour that damages the reputation of Hong Kong’s tourism industry”.
It also stressed: “Licensees must adhere to professional conduct and strictly comply with the provisions of the Travel Industry Ordinance and the [authority’s] directives for licensees.”
The latest move followed disciplinary actions in April when the authority revoked the licences of a travel agency and a tour guide, also over forced shopping practices targeting mainland inbound tour groups.
