Society

HK tourist guide punished for abusing visitors

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2010-09-04 21:06

HONG KONG -?A?Hong Kong?tourist guide who compelled mainland visitors to make purchases with discourteous and threatening remarks had her license revoked, the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong (TIC) announced Saturday.

A video clip which shows the guide Li Hau-chun abusing mainland visitors on a coach for not spending enough on shopping was put on the web earlier and had aroused the attention of the media and prompted the local tourism industry watchdog TIC to carry out investigations on the issue.

Related readings:  Paying the price for a Hong Kong tour  HK tourism seeks to clean up its image  Abusive mainland tour guide caught on video

The TIC said after a meeting on Saturday that its Compliance Committee decided to immediately revoke Li's tourist guide pass. A fine of 47,500 HK dollars ($6,113) was imposed on Golden Win International Travel Services Limited, the travel agent which assigned Li to receive the tour group.

Both the tourist guide and Golden Win International Travel Services may appeal to the TIC's Appeal Board within 14 days after receiving the notification of their penalties; and even if the tourist guide files an appeal, her tourist guide pass will remain invalid pending the appeal.