Travel agency fined $7,500 for operating without licence
The Straits Times | Mon, Feb 25 2013
Tour agency Tourist World Travel Services and its director have been fined for operating without a travel agent's licence. The tour agency was fined $7,500 and its director, Seah Juat Ngoh fined $4,500.
Here's the full statement from Singapore Tourism Board (STB):
The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) would like to inform the public that Tourist World Travel Services Pte Ltd (TWTS), and TWTS director, Seah Juat Ngoh, have been convicted by the Subordinate Courts of carrying on the business of a travel agent without a travel agent's licence under Section 6 of the Travel Agents Act (Cap 334) on 21 February 2013.
In July 2011, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) issued a Notice of Intent to Revoke against TWTS following complaints received for non-delivery of services.
Subsequently, in August 2011, TWTS surrendered their travel agent licence to STB together with a letter declaring the cessation of business.
STB continued with checks on TWTS and, in an enforcement raid conducted in September 2011, found ample evidence that TWTS had continued to operate as a travel agent despite having surrendered their licence to the Board.
TWTS and its director, Ms Seah, pleaded guilty to 5 charges and 3 charges against them, respectively. TWTS was fined $7, 500 and Ms Seah $4,500.
The STB takes a serious view of errant travel agents and will not hesitate to take necessary actions to protect consumers' interests and safeguard the reputation of Singapore's tourism sector.
The STB would also like to remind the public to exercise due diligence when engaging in any transaction, and specifically, to:
- Read all terms and conditions carefully before entering into any purchases.
- Purchase only from licensed travel agents (A list of licensed travel agents can be found at STB's Travel Related Users' System (TRUST) website https://trust.yoursingapore.com).
- Look out for the displayed licence before making purchases at travel agents' premises.
- Check that payment is being made to the right party before proceeding with payment.
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