Hong Kong’s Travel Industry Authority has revoked, from 7 September 2026, the licences of Kwok Ming Travel Company, Earl Travel Agency and tour guide Sun Koon-ying over alleged coercive shopping involving mainland inbound tour groups. The authority described the action as a disciplinary sanction.
The authority said Kwok Ming Travel failed to take all reasonable steps to ensure group members were not subjected to coercive shopping during a tour it received in February 2026. It said Earl Travel Agency failed to do so during a separate group tour in April.
The authority also alleged that Sun made threatening remarks to the relevant tour members in order to pressure them into shopping. The source material does not provide details of the alleged remarks, the shops involved or the tour itineraries.
Under the authority’s licence conditions, licensees must prevent tour participants from being forced into or kept in shops through harassment, coercion or improper influence. They must also make every effort to stop coercive shopping when it occurs, including during shopping itineraries or in other circumstances.
The authority said breaches of licence conditions are criminal offences. If convicted, a travel agency may face a fine of up to HK$100,000 and two years’ imprisonment, while a guide or tour escort may face a fine of up to HK$50,000 and one year’s imprisonment. These are potential penalties and were not stated as punishments imposed in this case.
During the National Day Golden Week holiday, the authority said it would conduct stepped-up inspections jointly with other enforcement departments. It urged travellers who experience unfair treatment, including coercive shopping, to contact the authority or seek help from the police.