A travel agency and its director were each fined $4,000 today (August 6) at Tuen Mun Magistrates' Courts after being convicted of bait advertising, in contravention of the Trade Descriptions Ordinance (TDO). This is the first-ever case against travel agency engaging in bait advertising.
Hong Kong Customs earlier received information alleging a travel agency published an advertisement on its website claiming to offer a tour at a specified price. When a consumer attempted to purchase the tour, a staff of the travel agency revealed that the price was not applicable at weekends and consumer need to pay more than the price specified in the advertisement for weekend tour.
Customs reminds traders to comply with the requirements of the TDO. Under the TDO, any trader who engages in bait advertising by claiming to supply products at a specified price but failing to supply those products under reasonable grounds at that price for a reasonable period and in reasonable quantities, commits an offence. The maximum penalty upon conviction is a fine of $500,000 and imprisonment for five years.
Members of the public may report any suspected violations of the TDO to Customs' 24-hour hotline 2545 6182 or its dedicated crime-reporting email account (crimereport@customs.gov.hk).
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