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

Hong Kong's Travel Industry Authority (TIA) has taken the drastic step of revoking the operating licence of Star Link Travel Limited, following a serious investigation into coercive shopping practices. The action stems from four separate incidents between January and March 2026, where a tour guide employed by the agency, identified as Kuk Wa, allegedly pressured mainland Chinese tourists into making purchases. The TIA found that the guide made 'inappropriate remarks' and explicitly threatened that visitors who did not shop would have to pay the difference in their tour price. The authority concluded that the agency's failure to take 'all reasonable steps' to prevent this coercion, despite multiple instances, constituted a severe breach of its licensing conditions under the Travel Industry Ordinance.

This enforcement represents a strong regulatory stance against practices that damage tourist trust and Hong Kong's reputation as a destination. The TIA revoked the licences of both the individual guide, Kuk Wa, and the parent company, Star Link Travel, invoking Section 111 of the ordinance. The authority stated the actions had 'severely damaged the reputation of the Hong Kong tourism industry.' The case highlights ongoing regulatory efforts to clamp down on forced shopping, a persistent issue in some tour segments, and signals to other operators that such misconduct will face the ultimate penalty of licence revocation.