Travel services agency fined for engaging unlicensed tourist guides

Shin KaiGai Travel Services had received repeated warnings from the Singapore Tourism Board about the need to use licensed tourist guides for their tours, but failed to do so on eight occasions. 

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SINGAPORE: Shin KaiGai Travel Services (SKGTS) and its director Wong Kim Eng were convicted on Wednesday (July 23) for failing to engage licensed tourist guides for its tours, and have been fined S$7,500 each.

According a media statement from the Singapore Tourism Board (STB), Ms Wong admitted to STB investigating officers that between November 2012 and Jan 2 this year, she had failed to engage licensed tourist guides for eight occasions. All eight contraventions were detected during STB’s enforcement checks.

Three unlicensed tourist guides who were engaged in most of these occasions were convicted on April 9 for acting as tourist guides without valid tourist guide licences.

SKGTS had received repeated warnings from the STB about the need to use licensed tourist guides for their tours.

“The STB takes a serious view against unlicensed tourist guiding and travel agents that engage the services of unlicensed tourist guides. Active on-ground enforcement is conducted regularly to ensure compliance and to deter unlicensed guiding,” it said in a statement. “STB is committed to upholding the integrity of tourist guide legislation and safeguarding the reputation of Singapore’s tourism sector, and will not hesitate to take necessary action against those who contravene the legislation.” 

- CNA/xy

Travel services agency fined for engaging unlicensed tourist guides