THURSDAY, DECEME, I
+NEVERTHELESS, A TRAVEL AGENT WHO DOES NOT APPLY FOR
A LICENCE BEFORE, SAY, MID-JANUARY, MAY WELL HAVE NO INTENTION OF CARRYING ON BUSINESS AS A LICENCED AGENT: THIS IN ITSELF SHOULD FLASH A WARNING LIGHT TO POTENTIAL CUSTOMERS, HE SAID, ADDING THAT NOTICE OF EACH APPLICATION FOR A LICENCE WOULD BE AVAILABLE FOR PUBLIC INSPECTION AT THE TRAVEL AGENTS REGISTRY AT SIXTH FLOOR, HENNESSY CENTRE, EAST WING.
+WE BELIEVE THAT THE LICENSING OF ALL EXISTING BONA FIDE TRAVEL AGENTS BEFORE FEBRUARY NEXT YEAR IS POSSIBLE AND WOULD BE WELCOMED BY THE COMMUNITY.
+ IF THIS PROVES TO BE SO, THEN BY EARLY FEBRUARY, WE WILL BE ABLE PUBLICLY TO GAZETTE THE NAMES OF ALL LICENSED TRAVEL AGENTS, WHOSE CUSTOMERS WILL BE AFFORDED PROTECTION UNDER THE ORDINANCE, + HE SAID.
MR HIGGINSON CALLED ON MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC TO TAKE SPECIAL CARE IN SELECTING TRAVEL AGENTS DURING THE NEXT FEW MONTHS AND SUGGESTED THAT THEY COULD SEEK GUIDANCE FROM THE CONSUMER COUNCIL IF IN DOUBT OF THEIR CHOICE.
+1 BELIEVE THAT ACTION NOW PROPOSED TO BE SET IN TRAIN TO IMPLEMENT THE TRAVEL AGENTS LICENSING SCHEME, TOGETHER WITH PUBLIC VIGILANCE AND THE CO-OPERATION FROM BONA FIDE MEMBERS OF THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY, WILL LAY A SOUND FOUNDATION ON WHICH THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY CAN WORK TOWARDS ACHIEVING BETTER CREDIBILITY OF THE TRADE AND AFFORDING GREATER PROTECTION FOR THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC,+ HE SAID.
ON THE QUESTION OF FEES TO BE PAID BY AGENTS, MR HIGGINSON SAID THE INTENTION WAS THAT THREE TYPES OF FEES WOULD BE PAYABLE BEFORE A LICENCE WAS GRANTED.
+THESE WOULD COMPRISE AN INITIAL APPLICATION FEE, THE ACTUAL FEE FOR THE LICENCE AND THE LEVY TO THE RESERVÉ FUND ALREADY FIXED AT $2 500 UNDER SECTION 33 OF THE TRAVEL AGENTS ORDINANCE.
+ONLY THE APPLICATION FEE WILL BE PAYABLE AT THE TIME OF THE APPLICATION: THERE IS NO NEED FOR AN APPLICANT TO PAY A LICENCE FEE OR THE LEVY UNTIL AND UNLESS HIS APPLICATION IS APPROVED AND A LICENCE IS READY TO BE ISSUED, HE SAID.
TURNING TO THE PERIOD OF VALIDITY FOR A LICENCE, HE SAID THE ORDINANCE PROVIDED THAT A LICENCE MIGHT BE VALID FOR
A PERIOD OF 12 MONTHS OR SUCH LESSER PERIOD AS MIGHT BE SPECIFIED.
+FOR ADMINISTRATIVE REASONS AND TO AVOID A CONCERTINA EFFECT ON RENEWALS, IT IS INTENDED, AT LEAST AT THE INITIAL STAGE, THAT SOME OF THE LICENCES ISSUED WILL BE FOR A SHORTER PERIOD, SAY SIX MONTHS.
/+THIS SHOULD