Inspectors of Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) took action tocombat operation of unlicensed tour guides at Border Gateon 9 May andsuccessfullytook an official statement against an individual whowas working as a tour guide withouta local tour guide license.The involved individual was leading a tour group from Guilin, Guangxi Province to visit Macao via the port of entry at Border Gate. The group comprised46 members andhad taken a shuttle busoperatedby an entertainment establishment. After tracking the group for some time, MGTO inspectors successfully obtained evidence andverbal reports to take an official statement against the irregularity forthe subsequent sanction procedures to ensue.The man who allegedly worked illegally as a tour guide came from Mainland China.MGTO will later report the case to the tourism authorities of the respective municipality.
MGTO has for some time received complaints about the existence of allegedly illegal tour guides at Border Gate. Highly concerned about the complaints, MGTO immediately started carrying outjointactionsto tackle the issuewiththe Labour Affairs Bureau (DSAL) andPublic Security Police Force (PSP). Owing to thevarietyof travel stylenowadays,the relatively short stay ofvisitors and their refusal to providefurtherinformation,it has become rather difficult togainevidence and crack down on operation of illegal tour guides.
Since the inauguration of the Hong Kong-Zhuhai-Macao Bridge last October, MGTO inspectorshave carried out hundreds of inspections againstallegedlyillegal tour guides at ports of entry, tourist attractions,hotelsand other locationsto collect information and learnmoreabout their style of operation. The Office has also taken into consideration opinions from theMonitoring Committee for the Affairs of Public Administrationunder the tutelage of the Legislative Assembly and received the support of local tour guide associations which gave an overview of the situation and providedpertinentintelligence.
Withcontinuous adjustments on the strategic deployment, MGTO successfully took an official statement against an individual who was working as a tour guide without holding a local tour guide licensethis time. MGTO will continue to carry out inspections targeting the issue.Upon discovery that a visitor conducts any activity which does not comply with the conditions required for visitors’stay in Macao, the Officewill take immediate action to report and wage sanction against the irregularity.
In accordance with the current regulationsconcerned,a partywho works illegally as a tour guide in Macao will be issued a monetary penalty of 20,000 to 30,000 patacas.