Shopping crowds in the streets of Hong Kong. Visual information in China
Known as the "shoppers ' paradise" reputation of Hong Kong, the recent successive tourist interests have been infringed, even tourists died of extreme events. Present situation of the tourism industry of Hong Kong? "Scams" frequent the reason? What measures have been taken by regulators, the effectiveness of how? This reporter interviewed.
"Kill rate" of only 0.7 out of 10,000 cases cannot represent the overall tourism environment
According to statistics, in 2014, various tourism-related bodies in Hong Kong have received complaints about 3000 visitors from the Mainland, including those from the Tourism Board, the travel industry Council, the Hong Kong Customs and Excise Department and the Consumer Council.
In the Hong Kong Legislative Council members from the tourism sector Yao Sirong, 3000 complaints number does not look small, but it cannot be confirmed by this number make a negative evaluation on the urban image of Hong Kong. In his view, the key to "kill rate".
According to the statistics of the Hong Kong Tourism Board, visitor arrivals from the Mainland in 2004 to more than 12 million people, covering half of overall visitors, jumped to 47.2 million, accounted for more than 77% in 2014. Because of the large number of visitors from the Mainland, Hong Kong as a whole "scams" is actually very small, "kill rate" of about 0.7 out of 10,000. High school top 18 finalist in Beijing, China,
Yao Sirong said, "Hong Kong as an open city, although there is sound legal constraints and to oversee, but not a total ban on all commercial crime."
The Assistant Commissioner of customs and Excise of Hong Kong He Shijing agreed. From the figures alone, "scams" and no sign of more and more rampant, and not representative of the overall tourism environment in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong Secretary for Commerce and economic development, Su Jinliang also believes that "the Mainland outbound travel market is very large, and most of them are high quality tours to Hong Kong, but in such a large market, inevitably some lawless elements from fish in troubled waters", using ultra-low-cost, or even "zero-fee tours", and then passengers purchase cost recovery, profit.
Su Jinliang said "kill" Act despite repeated prohibitions, travellers should review their own. Criminals know forced passengers to shop and use bad practices violated the law, but still choose to use new tricks, is take the mentality of passengers cheap attempt to loopholes. For example, he said, passengers sign up cheap, knowing the "trick" with "a chance" mentality, which is very wrong.
He stressed that Hong Kong remains mainland visitors are welcome to come for sightseeing, "kill off" event is the black sheep in the industry commit irregularities and illegal acts, but should not deny Hong Kong a "shoppers ' paradise" image.
Banned super low prices and forced shopping, announcement to the passengers list of factories
Mainland tourists to visit Hong Kong each year, about 14%, or more than 6 million tourists tours. Tourism in Hong Kong under the existing regulatory framework, regulators of the tour is tour Parliament. The Agency was founded in 1978, the industry's self-policing organization is recognized by the Government, has standard travel agent, tour guide and registered shops, the travel agents ' licensing, passenger disputes and mediation, and other functions.
Travel Council Director-General Mr described to reporters, 2010 two adverse events of tourism in Hong Kong, and Parliament set up an emergency task force has proposed to implement 10 measures, strengthen the regulation of group tours to Hong Kong from the mainland market. On February 1, 2011, the measures came into effect, in addition to combat unlicensed travel agents and tour guides, violation points system is introduced, for the first time banned in the law "zero-fee tours", super low prices and forced shopping behavior.
However, due to fierce competition, received in Hong Kong and the tour guides are still frequently receive "zero-fee tours" mainland mission, targeted shopping, leave no stone unturned in promoting their products. Brigade Council asked if the bought goods are not satisfactory, as long as no loss of goods or opening, merchants must provide a full refund within 180 days. But this arrangement applies only to travel to Parliament registered shops.
Implementation: how effective? Mr provides of near 3 years of data displayed, 2013 Brigade Parliament received was mainland passenger complaints total 347 cases, eventually on travel agency made punishment 61 cases, and on guide made punishment 13 cases; 2014 years received was complaints total 275 cases, travel agency punishment 130 cases, and guide punishment 54 cases; 2015 as September end of, received was complaints total 194 cases, travel agency punishment 69 cases, and guide punishment 19 cases.
Another agency to combat unscrupulous businesses, the Hong Kong Consumer Council, whose responsibilities include mediating contradictions between consumers, education visitors as "smart consumers" and prosecute unscrupulous businessmen, but has no enforcement powers, or inspections.
LWL briefing, Chairman of the Hong Kong Consumer Council provide data to reporters said that as of September 2015, 21190 complaints were received, of which about 70%-80% can get varying degrees of resolve, including mediation and refund. He said that in recent years, the number of complaints and no clear float, are 30,000 cases, complaints about 10% visitors from the Mainland, such as January 2015, mainland visitors to 2227 complaints were received so far.
Wong said, persistent stores, the Consumer Council will propose naming, to visitors and publicity; but some of the shops that were named after the closing, and changed the name of "resurgence", for which the consumer will tend to do nothing.
Traveling violations that occur in the near future, there's "ghost tour" problem.
In response, Su Jinliang said present rules regulate the travel agencies and tour guides, and regulate businesses and shops, I didn't expect the emergence of new class of illegal elements-the "ghost tour". He bluntly "illegal means endless", increasing the difficulty of enforcement of the relevant departments, as "ghost tour" status is difficult to distinguish, difficult from them to sell peer passenger means judgement is really in tone and "warm" or "his job".
Speak low price, payment, charge high prices, passengers can complain to customs
Groups to brigades backed by Parliament, individual visitors faced a similar "Pharmacy trap" such as "scams" behavior, and who to turn to?
Hong Kong Customs is undoubtedly the first choice. Passenger hit shops in case of illegal business practices, the Department is one of the most efficient law enforcement agencies, law enforcement based on, it is for unscrupulous businessmen "tailor made" to the Trade Descriptions Ordinance.
The Assistant Commissioner of customs and Excise to reporters He Shijing said in July 2013, the Trade Descriptions Ordinance was enacted in the Legislative Council for the full implementation. Regulations prohibiting stores for consumers to make some unscrupulous business practices, including misleading omissions, false trade description, a more intimidating business behaviour and improper to receive payments.
His data shows, since the implementation of the regulations, Customs has received complaints associated with unscrupulous business practices of shops 1333, which charged 168 cases and successfully convicted, 145 of them were complaints, complaints from mainland tourists was about 100, from 7% to 8% per cent. For weeks, customs processed 11 complaints per week on average, prosecution of 1 to 2, 1 to 2 cases of successful convictions.
He Shijing said that, since the implementing regulations, customs enforcement has become increasingly mature. Meanwhile, sentenced to this penalty more and more with AWE, shows effective law enforcement and judicial cooperation closely.
Customs prosecution cases, the most common is the pharmacy began taking low prices, payments received higher "open high low close" policy.
Unscrupulous business practices the Superintendent described Xu Weiming told reporters in the first case involving mainland visitors, and penalty of crime of the store process. He said a Mainland visitor to the clerk asks the price of drugs, the clerk answered only "hundreds of HK", deliberately omit the unit, when he tried to ask confirmation, Clerk had evaded him, and payment "catty" into "two", doubling the price instantly.
The judge decide the case, said said the clerk acts though not fraud, but "near-fraudulent", nature, so the heavier penalty imposed in similar cases – rates prison for 10 weeks, and compensation for loss of the victim million Hong Kong dollars.
In addition to enforcement, upon receipt of a complaint, does not regularly occur in customs "high profile inspections", commonly known as "covert" secret action to curb crime. He Shijing showed reporters from mid-August to early October of this year's "Golden Warrior" report card: a mere two months, through frequent inspections of high-risk premises, in the Mong Kok District in Hong Kong, customs officers have arrested and convicted 8 men and 1 woman.
He said tourism regulations next, both publicity and enforcement, to a two-pronged approach, the SAR Government has started to discuss plans, and discuss with the National Tourism Bureau and other relevant departments in the Mainland, measures.
No comments:
Post a Comment