Rewards for tipoffs 'can help cut out forced shopping'

A tourism industry representative has called for a rewards system to encourage tour guides to report malpractices such as forced shopping. This suggestion came after the Travel Industry Authority revoked the licenses of two travel agencies and a tour guide for coercing mainland tourists into making purchases. The Travel Industry Authority's lack of manpower for inspections and law enforcement actions has made it difficult to address the issue.

Sara Leung, chairwoman of the Hong Kong Tourism Industry Employees General Union, suggested that a reward system could incentivize more people to report malpractices. She noted that tour guides often see instances of forced shopping and that if they can report these incidents and receive a reward, more people might be willing to participate.

Leung also pointed out that low-cost package tours are prevalent in the competitive sector, and tour agencies often resort to coercive shopping methods to make a profit. However, these reports of forced shopping damage the industry's reputation, making visitors reluctant to join package tours.