XN000022-1986-01-31 — Page 6

FRIDAY, JANUARY 31, 1994

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TRAVEL AGENTS COME UNDER CONTROL

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MEASURES TO PROTECT THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC FROM UNSCRUPULOUS TRAVEL AGENTS MOVED AHEAD TODAY (FRIDAY) WITH THE GAZETTING OF THE COMMENCEMENT NOTICE FOR THE TRAVEL AGENTS ORDINANCE 1985.

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID THAT THE ORDINANCE WOULD COME INTO FULL OPERATION FROM TOMORROW (SATURDAY), WITH THE EXCEPTION OF SECTION 47, WHICH DEALS WITH A PUBLISHER'S RESPONSIBILITY IN ENSURING THAT ADVERTISEMENTS BY A TRAVEL AGENT MUST CONTAIN THE AGENT'S LICENCE NUMBER.

+AS FROM TOMORROW, ALL TRAVEL AGENTS WHO CONDUCT BUSINESS INVOLVING ANY OUT-BOUND TRAVEL SERVICES AS DEFINED UNDER SECTION 4 OF THE TRAVEL AGENTS ORDINANCE 1985 MUST HAVE A LICENCE GRANTED BY THE REGISTRAR OF TRAVEL AGENTS, HE SAID.

MEMBERS OF THE PUBLIC MAKING TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS AFTER FEBRUARY 1, WERE STRONGLY ADVISED TO DEAL ONLY WITH LICENSED TRAVEL AGENTS.

LICENSED TRAVEL AGENTS ARE OBLIGED, UNDER THE TRAVEL AGENTS REGULATIONS 1985, TO DISPLAY THEIR LICENCES CONSPICUOUSLY IN THEIR BUSINESS PLACES, INCLUDING ANY BRANCH OFFICE. THEY ARE ALSO REQUIRED TO QUOTE THE IR LICENCE NUMBERS IN ALL INVOICES. RECEIPTS, ADVERTISEMENTS, BROCHURES, AND OTHER BUSINESS DOCUMENTS ISSUED BY THEM.

SINCE ITS ESTABLISHMENT ON DECEMBER 13 LAST YEAR, THE TRAVEL AGENTS REGISTRY HAS RECEIVED 907 APPLICATIONS FOR LICENCES, INCLUDING ABOUT 100 LATE APPLICATIONS RECEIVED AFTER JANUARY 15 THIS YEAR.

ABOUT 800 OF THE APPLICATIONS HAVE BEEN APPROVED, AND THE SUCCESSFUL APPLICANTS ARE BEING NOTIFIED TO COLLECT THEIR LICENCES AT THE TRAVEL AGENTS REGISTRY UPON PAYMENT OF THE REQUIRED FEE AND A LEVY TO THE TRAVEL AGENTS' RESERVE FUND.

UP TO YESTERDAY, 400 LICENCES HAD BEEN ISSUED AND ANOTHER 400 WOULD BE ISSUED BETWEEN TODAY AND MONDAY. MOST OF THE LICENCES ISSUED WERE FOR ONE FULL YEAR, AND ABOUT 30 PER CENT WERE FOR SIX MONTHS.

THE LICENCE PERIODS WERE MAINLY AN ADMINISTRATIVE MEASURE OF STAGGERING THE EXPIRY DATES OF LICENCES TO AVOID CONGESTION THAT COULD RESULT IF ALL LICENCES ARE RENEWED AT THE SAME TIME, THE SPOKESMAN SAID.

/ALL TRAVEL