Tourists, guide fined following fight over HK forced shopping
By Wang Qingchu |
February 8, 2011, Tuesday
|
Print Edition
Print Edition
TWO Chinese mainland tourists and a Hong Kong tour guide were fined HK$1,000 (US$128) each and bound over to be of good behavior for a year by a Hong Kong court yesterday.
Kowloon City Magistrates' Court heard that a dispute arose after the tour guide, surnamed Lam, had abused the tourists for not shopping at a designated jewelry store on Saturday, China News Service reported.
Zhang Yong and his wife, from Anhui Province, issued a statement through their lawyer saying their "unforgettable journey" had come to an end and expressed gratitude for the care offered by people in Hong Kong. They left the city yesterday afternoon.
A total of 33 mainland tourists had signed up for a three-day Hong Kong trip organized by the Good Friendship travel agency.
They were taken to a jewelry store and forced to stay there for two hours, one tourist said.
Lam abused the couple after they didn't buy anything at the store, the tourist said.
Lam and Zhang came to blows. Two women from the tourist group tried to intervene but were injured. All four were later sent to hospital for treatment.
Another tour guide was sent to lead the group after the incident.
The tourists were supposed to go shopping all day on Saturday, but the schedule was changed and they were taken to scenic spots instead.
Rita Lau, secretary of the Hong Kong Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, said she felt regret for the incident, and added that the government was working on policies to strengthen management of the tourism industry.
"Even a single case is not acceptable," Lau said.
The Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong has launched an investigation and required Good Friendship to hand in a report within 14 days.
"Tour guides should have a good service attitude toward their customers, otherwise the travel agency will be punished," said Michael Wu, chairman of the Travel Industry Council.
Wu also urged travel agencies to provide basic income protection for guides so that they wouldn't have to rely on commission.
"If this fundamental problem is not solved, such conflicts might happen again," Wong Ka Ngai, chairman of the Hong Kong Tour Guides General Union, was quoted by Southern Metropolis Daily.
In July last year, a video clip circulating on the Internet showed a Hong Kong tour guide abusing mainland visitors and forcing them to shop. Hong Kong tourist authorities vowed to tighten rules to protect travelers from forced shopping or visiting designated shopping stops after the incident.
A 65-year-old tourist from Hunan Province died from a heart attack in Hong Kong in May last year after he argued with a tour guide.
Hong Kong has become one of the hottest tourist destinations for mainland travelers during Chinese New Year. More than 114,000 mainland visitors entered Hong Kong on Saturday, a record number of tourists on a single day.
Kowloon City Magistrates' Court heard that a dispute arose after the tour guide, surnamed Lam, had abused the tourists for not shopping at a designated jewelry store on Saturday, China News Service reported.
Zhang Yong and his wife, from Anhui Province, issued a statement through their lawyer saying their "unforgettable journey" had come to an end and expressed gratitude for the care offered by people in Hong Kong. They left the city yesterday afternoon.
A total of 33 mainland tourists had signed up for a three-day Hong Kong trip organized by the Good Friendship travel agency.
They were taken to a jewelry store and forced to stay there for two hours, one tourist said.
Lam abused the couple after they didn't buy anything at the store, the tourist said.
Lam and Zhang came to blows. Two women from the tourist group tried to intervene but were injured. All four were later sent to hospital for treatment.
Another tour guide was sent to lead the group after the incident.
The tourists were supposed to go shopping all day on Saturday, but the schedule was changed and they were taken to scenic spots instead.
Rita Lau, secretary of the Hong Kong Commerce and Economic Development Bureau, said she felt regret for the incident, and added that the government was working on policies to strengthen management of the tourism industry.
"Even a single case is not acceptable," Lau said.
The Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong has launched an investigation and required Good Friendship to hand in a report within 14 days.
"Tour guides should have a good service attitude toward their customers, otherwise the travel agency will be punished," said Michael Wu, chairman of the Travel Industry Council.
Wu also urged travel agencies to provide basic income protection for guides so that they wouldn't have to rely on commission.
"If this fundamental problem is not solved, such conflicts might happen again," Wong Ka Ngai, chairman of the Hong Kong Tour Guides General Union, was quoted by Southern Metropolis Daily.
In July last year, a video clip circulating on the Internet showed a Hong Kong tour guide abusing mainland visitors and forcing them to shop. Hong Kong tourist authorities vowed to tighten rules to protect travelers from forced shopping or visiting designated shopping stops after the incident.
A 65-year-old tourist from Hunan Province died from a heart attack in Hong Kong in May last year after he argued with a tour guide.
Hong Kong has become one of the hottest tourist destinations for mainland travelers during Chinese New Year. More than 114,000 mainland visitors entered Hong Kong on Saturday, a record number of tourists on a single day.
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