HK acts to stamp out rip-offs of visitors

　　 By Mure Dickie in Beijing and Robin Kwong in Hong Kong

　　 Unscrupulous Hong Kong tour operators could soon need to be a bit more cautious about conning compatriots from the Chinese interior: that gullible-looking sightseer waving a wad of red renminbi might really be an undercover agent.

　　 After a spate of reports of rampant rip-offs by the Hong Kong tourist trade, authorities are stepping up efforts to ensure mainland travellers get a fair deal in the former British crown colony.

　　 "The mainland and Hong Kong tourism industries are going to use many kinds of measures...to supervise the market," Man Hongwei, an official of the China National Tourism Administration (CNTA) said on the 25 April.

　　 The crackdown would use "tip-offs, spot-checks and undercover investigations", Mr Man said.

　　 Mr Man's remarks came in a speech to visiting Hong Kong government and industry representatives in Beijing to find ways to restore the low-tariff Special Autonomous Region's reputation among travellers.

　　 That image received a blow this month from a report by China Central Television (CCTV) that a tour group tourist from eastern Shandong province had paid a Hong Kong jeweller HK$9,800 for a diamond pendant that was made of glass.

　　 Another shop sold members of the same tour group a supposedly Swiss diamond watch that cost HK$16,000 but turned out to be equally fake, CCTV said.

　　 Such scandals threaten what has become an important part of the Hong Kong economy: 13.6m mainland tourists visited last year and spent HK$39.7bn (US$5.1bn) – more than half of all tourist spending.

　　 The reports of abuses in the Hong Kong tourist trade have drawn particular attention from the mainland because of the city's reputation for relatively good governance and effective law enforcement.

　　 Sending agents to pose as travellers is a common tactic for Chinese regional tourist authorities seeking to tighten controls on the sector, although officials declined to give details of how successful they prove.

　　 It is also unclear whether the rhetoric will be enough to prevent a fall in mainland travel to Hong Kong during the "Golden Week" holiday, which starts next Monday and is traditionally the city's strongest tourist season.

　　 Au King-chi, tourism Commissioner, said "the malpractices of a small group of industry players had affected its reputation as a shoppers' paradise and will not be tolerated".