1	tourism, hong kong, fraud, travel agencies, philippines

Hong Kong is an attractive holiday destination to many Filipinos. But a sad tale of a group of first time visitors coming from the country’s Surigao province may put a damper on others trying to get their glimpse of this so-called Asia’s World City.

First things first. A group of 24 tourists composed of government workers were stranded in the airport when their local travel operator, Travel Connection HK, failed to pick them up. But Hong Kong tourism officials assert that it was their travel agency in the Philippines that defrauded them. Each tourist paid about HK$4,000 for the holiday getaway.

With nobody to go to and funds dwindling – at least one tourist confessed to having no money to support incidental expenses -- the tourists were glad they could tour the city, mainly thanks to lawmaker Paul Tse and concerned local officials. Tse, an operator of a small travel agency before elected into the Legislative Council, found the group a place to stay in Tok Wa Wan, a suburb in Kowloon at the height of a chilly weather spell that saw the mercury drop below 10 degrees.

The Philippine travel agencies in question – Nickel Travel and Tour Agency, MMP Travels and Tour, and San Pedro Travel Service – were responsible for making the booking for the tourists. Maybe there was a misunderstanding, but when tourists failed to secure accommodation, a scam is clearly in the works. An investigation is underway.

The beleaguered tourists could have ended their trip in disappointment, but they were fortunate to have the Tourism Board take them out for lunch. They were also treated to free admission to Disneyland and round-trip tickets to Macau. Their tour and accommodation, while not entirely free, were heavily discounted.

It’s a shame that some Filipino companies try to defraud fellow Filipinos. To Filipinos wishing to travel to Hong Kong, just make sure you transact with accredited travel agencies instead of fly-by-night operators who charge rock-bottom rates.