雙語社評齊齊聽

英語 (足本收聽)

普通話 (足本收聽)

【明報專訊】THE MEASURES taken recently by the Travel Industry Council (TIC) to regulate "shopping at designated shops" (SADS) are aimed at restoring Hong Kong's good reputation as a paradise for shoppers. At a time when Hong Kong as a whole is at a low ebb, these measures present an opportunity to prop up the tourist industry. Some people in the tourist industry, however, are unhappy with the new regulations, and have launched a non-cooperation movement to resist the reform.

audio 1

旅遊業議會採取措施規管定點購物，目的在重塑本港購物天堂令譽，在整體低迷景况中，本來是提振旅遊業的機會。不過，部分業界不滿新規定，發起不合作運動，對規範措施實行抵制。

audio 1

To root out irregularities such as low-cost tours and forced shopping, the TIC has launched a number of regulatory measures, which came into effect on New Year's Day. First, registered stores are required to promise that they will abide by the Trade Descriptions Ordinance and provide mainland visitors with 180-day refund protection. Second, the licence number of the related travel agency, as well as the tour code of the tour group, must be displayed on a tourist bus. Finally, every tourist guide is now required to carry their Tourist Guide Pass. These new requirements have aroused opposition from labour organisations representing travel agencies, stores, tourist bus drivers and tourist guides. They have launched a non-cooperation movement, refusing to carry their Tourist Guide Passes or display the licence numbers of the related travel agencies. They have also declared that they will take legal action (such as a judicial review) to challenge the TIC's power to regulate the industry.

audio 2

由今年元旦起，旅議會為杜絕低團費及強迫購物等亂象，推出多項規管措施，包括所有登記店舖必須承諾不違反《商品說明條例》、為內地旅客提供180日退款保障、旅遊車須展示旅行社牌照號碼及旅行團團號、導遊須佩戴導遊證等。新規定觸發代表旅行社、店舖、旅巴司機及導遊的工會不滿，除了發起不合作運動，拒絕佩戴導遊證及張貼「車頭紙」，又聲言循司法覆核等法律途徑，挑戰旅議會的監管權。

audio 2

SADS that involves mainland tours has resulted in a lot of incidents. Most of these incidents involved tourists who were forced to buy at the shops. Last October, a group of people came to blows with each other over SADS, resulting in the death of a mainland tourist. The incident has dealt a huge blow to Hong Kong's tourist industry. Recently, the number of tour groups coming from the mainland has decreased significantly. Apart from the economic downturn, the phenomenon is believed to be largely attributable to the death of the tourist, which continues to reverberate around the mainland.

audio 3

有關內地旅行團的「定點購物」，經常發生事故，主要涉及團員被強迫購物；去年10月曾因此發生爭執打鬥，有內地團員死亡。這宗命案重擊本港旅遊業，近期內地旅行團來港顯著減少，除了經濟不景，相信與「來港旅遊被打死」信息在內地持續發酵，有很大關係。

audio 3

The TIC has tightened its regulation of SADS. It is expected that the extension of refund protection and the introduction of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance can protect customers' rights effectively. Stores that violate the Trades Descriptions Ordinance will be removed from the list of registered SADS stores. To the people in the industry, this measure has a particularly strong deterrent effect. The backlash against these measures shows exactly their effectiveness, and the dissenting voices do not seem to have right on their side. Some say that the industry's frontline workers are often asked to produce their Tourist Guide Passes by people whose identities are not known. This makes it difficult for frontline workers to carry out their duties, these people say. But in fact, in every part of the world, it is common practice for people like tourist guides to carry their credentials. This helps root out the problems of illegal labour and unlicensed tourist guides and thus safeguards the interests of people in tourism.

audio 4

旅議會加強規管定點購物，其中延長退款保障和引入《商品說明條例》，預期對維護旅客權益可以有明顯實效，特別是違反《商品說明條例》，將從已登記定點購物商舖除名，對業界構成較大阻嚇力。目前部分業界的反彈，顯示新規定對他們構成實質影響。綜觀這些不滿理據，似乎顯得牽強，例如訴說前線人員經常被不知名人士查證件，影響工作云云，實際是導遊等人員佩戴證件在世界各地是普遍做法，可以杜絕黑工及無牌導遊，對業界人員帶來保障。

audio 4

In recent days, some people in the industry have gone on with the non-cooperation movement in an aggressive manner. They have refused to conduct tours to registered stores. In what they call "counter-propaganda", they have sent people to distribute leaflets outside the stores. They have even launched a so-called "lifetime guarantee" scheme in jewellery shops as a countermeasure against the TIC, saying that they will allow tourists to swap what they have purchased for jewellery of the same price. But the scheme is highly dubious, as no stores can guarantee that they will last forever. How can a customer swap jewellery at a shop that does not exist anymore?

audio 5

過去幾日，部分業界的不合作運動顯得咄咄逼人，包括不帶團到已登記店舖，又派人到店舖外派傳單，對旅客實行反宣傳等，甚至在珠寶店推出「永久原價換貨」計劃，與旅議會打對台。其實，所謂「永久原價換貨」是可疑的，因為有哪一家商舖可以保證永久經營？若結業了，顧客還有什麼途徑「原價換貨」？

audio 5

Hong Kong's reputation as a paradise for shoppers should be founded on products that are inexpensive and of high quality. SADS does not allow tourists to enjoy shopping. On the contrary, it is tarnishing the city's reputation as a shopper's paradise. To this the government should not turn a blind eye. The problem of low-cost tours will be solved after SADS is rooted out.

audio 6

香港的購物天堂美譽，內涵應是價廉物美。旅行社指定的定點購物，不但未能使旅客享受購物樂趣，實際上更破壞購物天堂的聲譽，政府對此不能視而不見。取締了定點購物，低團費問題自然化解。

audio 6

明報社評2016.01.07

Presented by lecturers of Hong Kong Community College, PolyU and The Hong Kong Polytechnic University

Mr CHAN, Jason Siu-chuen
Lecturer, HKCC
www.hkcc-polyu.edu.hk/staff_directory/social_communication/CHAN,_Jason_Siu-chuen-168.html

蔡維玉
講師
ww.hkcc-polyu.edu.hk/staff_directory/social_communication/CHOI,_Wai-yuk-322.html

Powered by and