香港和广州严厉打击低价游

Authorities will publish a list of some 40 travel agencies in Guangzhou who operate tours to Hong Kong to help tourists avoid exploitation.

Under the agreement, these agencies should not force tourists to shop or resort to other illegal measures to cheat tourists.

According to Tan Aiying, Deputy Director of Guangzhou's Tourism Bureau, agencies getting listed this time should not rest on their laurels.

"After rounds of scrutiny, we selected these agencies which do not cheat or rip off customers. We will review the list every year, if there are any major complaints or misconduct, they will be disqualified."

Chairman of the Travel Industry Council in Hong Kong, Jason Wong, says the list should better protect the interests of tourists when they visit Hong Kong.

"Those agents agreed not to have a very unreasonable low fare, and not to force tourists to different shops. I think this is a very good practice, and it will have positive feedback to promote tourism in China."

At the same time, the number of mainland tourists visiting Hong Kong has seen a decline for recent months, even December, with Christmas and New Year's holidays, a traditionally peak season, is not improving.

Anthony Lau is the Executive Director of the Hong Kong Tourism Board.

"We have noticed that the number of mainland tourists goes down this month, off set by the growing number of tourists from South East Asia and other regions. So we expect Shenzhen residents who make round-trips within a day will affect the overall number. "

The Ministry of Public Security issued a cap on trips to Hong Kong by residents of neighboring Shenzhen city in April.

In line with the new policy, authorities stop issuing multiple-entry permit to Shenzhen residents and will instead issue one-visit-per-week permit from April 13.

The strengthening of cooperation between Hong Kong and Guangzhou in the tourism industry comes after reports that some travel agencies offer lower than market rates for tourists but force them to shop at selected stores in Hong Kong.

A mainland middle-aged man was beaten to death in Hong Kong in October, after a suspected dispute in a jewelry shop.

The case was adjourned to February next year, with two defendants released on bail.