Licence of Hong Kong travel agency revoked after tour guide coerced visitors to shop

The licence of a Hong Kong travel agency has been revoked after one of its tour guides allegedly coerced mainland Chinese visitors into buying items, in what one industry representative called an “isolated incident” that did not signal a return of the infamous practice.

The Travel Industry Authority said on Monday it had earlier launched an investigation into Star Link Travel over four cases in which one of its guides, Kuk Wa, was suspected of coercing inbound mainland travellers to shop.

The investigation found that between January and March, Star Link Travel failed to take “all reasonable steps” to ensure that tour group members were not coerced into making purchases.

It also found the guide had made what it described as “inappropriate remarks” to visitors in March and threatened that those who did not make purchases would have to pay the difference in the tour price.

“After considering the investigation results, the Travel Industry Authority believes that the inaction of the travel agency and the tour guide’s remarks effectively coerced tourists into shopping, constituting a serious breach of licensing conditions,” it said.

“The travel agency and tour guide involved have severely damaged the reputation of the Hong Kong tourism industry.”