XN000022-1988-06-10 — Page 8

FRIDAY, JUNE 10, 1988

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TRAVEL AGENTS (AMENDMENT) BILL GAZETTED

THE TRAVEL AGENTS (AMENDMENT) BILL, WHICH SEEKS TO ASSIST THE OUTBOUND TRAVEL INDUSTRY TO REGULATE ITS OWN ACTIVITIES WAS GAZETTED TODAY (FRIDAY).

A GOVERNMENT SPOKESMAN SAID: "THE PROPOSALS FOR SELF-REGULATION WERE ANNOUNCED IN DECEMBER LAST YEAR.

THE PACKAGE OF MEASURES WAS DESIGNED TO MEET THREE OBJECTIVES:

FIRSTLY, TO INTRODUCE SELF-REGULATION OF THE OUTBOUND TRAVEL INDUSTRY WITH LIMITED GOVERNMENT INVOLVEMENT;

SECONDLY, TO REPLACE THE TRAVEL AGENTS' RESERVE FUND WITH A NEW COMPENSATION SCHEME TO OFFER THE TRAVELLING PUBLIC A DEGREE OF PROTECTION;

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THIRDLY TO SETTLE THE OUTSTANDING CLAIMS AGENTS' RESERVE FUND.

AGAINST THE TRAVEL

THE TRAVEL AGENTS (AMENDMENT) BILL 1988, WHEN ENACTED, WILL REQUIRE AS A STATUTORY CONDITION OF LICENCE, EVERY TRAVEL AGENT PROVIDING OUTBOUND TRAVEL SERVICES TO BE A MEMBER OF AN "APPROVED ORGANISATION",

THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY COUNCIL OF HONG KONG (TIC) WILL BE DESIGNATED AS THE "APPROVED ORGANISATION" UNDER THE TRAVEL AGENTS ORDINANCE.

ALL EXISTING AND PROSPECTIVE TRAVEL AGENTS WILL NEED TO BECOME A MEMBER OF THE TIC THROUGH JOINING ONE OF ITS SIX ASSOCIATION MEMBERS. THIS REQUIREMENT WILL BE A PRE-REQUISITE TO THE GRANT OF A LICENCE BY THE REGISTRAR OF TRAVEL AGENTS,

ESTABLISHED UNDER THE TIC

AN APPEALS MECHANISM WILL BE CONSTITUTION TO ENSURE THAT APPLICATIONS FOR MEMBERSHIP OF THE TIC ARE DEALT WITH FAIRLY AND IMPARTIALLY.

A TRAVEL AGENT WHOSE APPLICATION ΤΟ JOIN AS AN ASSOCIATION MEMBER OF THE TIC HAS BEEN REFUSED, MAY APPLY FOR HIS CASE TO BE REVIEWED BY AN APPEAL BOARD OF THE TIC. THE APPEAL BOARD WILL "OMPRISE PERSONS FROM BOTH WITHIN AND OUTSIDE THE TRAVEL INDUSTRY.

THERE IS PROVISION FOR A FURTHER CHANNEL OF APPEAL TO THE REGISTRAR OF TRAVEL AGENTS. THE AMENDMENT BILL MAKES PROVISION FOR THE REGISTRAR TO GRANT A HEARING TO THE APPLICANT CONCERNED AND ΤΟ DIRECT THAT THE APPLICANT BE ACCEPTED AS A MEMBER WHERE THE REGISTRAR FINDS IN FAVOUR OF THE APPLICANT.

/BRIEFING SESSIONS