The TIC has received quite a lot of complaints from mainland visitors recently, saying that their tourist guides forced them to stay in the registered shops and some even forbade them to leave the shops for a rest even though they felt unwell.

The TIC is deeply concerned about this kind of service attitude, and hopes to reiterate that tourist guides have to strictly follow each and every provision stipulated in the Code of Conduct for Tourist Guides when providing reception service. If any visitors ask for a break outside the shop because the shop is overcrowded and stuffy and they feel unwell, the tourist guide must make such arrangements for them without delay. If there is a need, the tourist guide should arrange for the visitors to see a doctor or call the ambulance service as soon as possible.

The TIC will never allow tourist guides to coerce visitors into making purchases or infringe the interests of visitors. If any tourist guides are found to have stopped visitors from leaving the shops freely or coerced them into making purchases, they will be subject to penalties according to the Code of Conduct for Tourist Guides in order to protect the interests of visitors.