Relax - Abusive tour guide makes public apology

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Hong Kong tour guide Li Qiaozhen, who was caught on video berating a busload of mainland tourists, showed up and made a public apology on Tuesday.

"It's been two weeks. I had no courage to stand out... I feel very sorry. I hope our Hong Kong citizens and mainland fellows can forgive my mistake," said Li during a press conference, at which she was accompanied by Legislator Paul Tse. This was Li's first public appearance since the video clip caused an uproar in both Hong Kong and the mainland after it played on the Internet. Wearing a black shirt, she looked pale and small.

Li claimed that while she abused the tourists over their failure to spend money at a jewelry shop, the tourists had also used sharp language when speaking to her. "It takes two to tango," she said. "They denied my service for the two days... I could not control my emotion, and said something I shouldn't have said."

She also disputed claims that the tourists had spent HK$400,000 (S$70,242), as some tour members claimed. Li said all 26 tourists collectively spent just HK$13,000. She stressed that the tourists were aware this was a shopping tour. "Why is it that you (tourists) knew it was a shopping tour group, but you blame me in turn?"

"Every industry has its own difficulties... We have our own... You won't know if you are not actually in it," she said.

Li revealed she was self-employed and had no basic salary, but received tips of HK$50 per person for two days. "Of course it would be better to have a basic salary. But it's the system. I can't control it." she said.

She admitted that she also received commissions from the tourists' spending, but she stressed it accounted for only a very small portion of her income.

She stated that her company, Golden Win International Travel Service Limited, didn't push her to hard-sell tourists. She claimed the conflict between her and tour group members had nothing to do with the commissions.

Li also noted the tourists at that time didn't complain either to her company or to the Travel Industry Council (TIC). She said she had been a tour guide for years but this was the first complaint made against her.

Li feels under intense pressure because of the incident. "My nerves are almost ready to break down. For the past days I could not sleep... I don't dare stay in Hong Kong, but have hidden at a friend's place in Shenzhen. Days feel like years. I've been worrying about my life in future," she said.

Asked whether the travel agency should also take responsibility, managing director of Golden Win Benny Chau Man-wai said "the nature of the incident has yet to be determined." He stressed that over the past 11 years the company had received only eight complaints.

Legislator Paul Tse called for TIC to review the entire Hong Kong tourism system with regards to "zero-charge" tours. "The bright side of the incident is to push the government and council to speed up the improvement," he said.

As a new immigrant and single mother, Li said it is not easy to make a living in Hong Kong. Although she has been in the city for ten years, she still feels the culture difference. She stressed that she likes the tour guide job mostly because she can speak her mother tongue when working. She expressed her will to continue the work and hopes that the TIC will not suspend her license.

	Hong Kong tour guide abuses tourists for spending too little
	Read a full transcript of what transpired

Abusive tour guide makes public apology

China Daily, ANN | Wed, Jul 28 2010

She also claimed that the tourists were rude to her in the first place.

Keywords

hong kong

Hong Kong tour guide Li Qiaozhen, who was caught on video berating a busload of mainland tourists, showed up and made a public apology on Tuesday.

"Every industry has its own difficulties... We have our own... You won't know if you are not actually in it," she said.

She admitted that she also received commissions from the tourists' spending, but she stressed it accounted for only a very small portion of her income.

	Hong Kong tour guide abuses tourists for spending too little
	Read a full transcript of what transpired

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Readers' Comments

Tourists to China are facing the same situation. Their guides will take tourists to shops selling jades, silk products, tea leaves........ Why tourists already spent thousands of dollars on tour have to spend more time on shopping than visiting tourist attractions. Tourists are at the mercy of their guides. The only way to solve this problem is to limit nos. of shopping to 1 per day, excluding the date of arrival & departure. The time spent in a shop should not be more than 30 mins. Tourists are required to pay a price at least to cover the cost of the tour. Otherwise, the problem of this unfortunate guide will continue to happen, especially you get the loud and stingy tourists for shopping tour to guide.

by laozhuang, posted on 06 09 2010, 13:56

Many years ago, for package tour, tipping usually requested during the journey to airport or transit point by local tour guide (driver included). That was the old practice. Now; it has changed to a fixed amount per tourist per day by tour agencies.
Shopping commission awarded to the tour guide is a common ��open�� practice seen then, and I think it is part for the trading.
Some new tour bus has installed GPS system, providing necessary assistance when the bus is behind scheduled time or bus breakdown replacement need.
However, feedback or complains from both tourist and tour guide could be subject to individual needs and expectation, is time to install a ��black box�� or recording devices, to ensure good services and happy customer can be achieved.

by Keston Lim, posted on 29 07 2010, 17:44

It is like that in Hong Kong! I m surprised that its now being brought up.

Everyone I know mentioned that HK tour guides are all out to squeeze u to buy things that are either unnecessary or over-charged. They use pressure tactics and look down on you if you "don't buy enough"!

HK had better clean up this whole s*** or no one will want to join their tour group. None of my family or friends do that now. There are plenty of other places to visit then dis s***hol* !

by funslover, posted on 28 07 2010, 16:43

Well, this was supposed to be a shopping tour, and not the normal sight-seeing tour which we are used to. That is way it is so cheap. You are supposed to spend like crazy on this kind of tour. The tourists thought that they could get a cheap deal by spending little.

by sianchew, posted on 28 07 2010, 12:42

Well... its just a case of China Migrant (the HK tour guide) treating the China Tourists like they are in China... nothing special leh.... HK is part of China also mah.... what the hoohaa all about???? :p

by Small Fly, posted on 28 07 2010, 12:07

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