• Subscribe
  • Magazines
  • About
  • Contact
  • Advertise
Monday 7 July 2025
  • zh-hant 中文
  • ja 日本語
  • en English
IAG
Advertisement
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • 中文
No Result
View All Result
IAG
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
    • Africa
    • Australia
    • Cambodia
    • China
    • CNMI
    • Europe
    • Hong Kong
    • India
    • Japan
    • Laos
    • Latin America
    • Malaysia
    • Macau
    • Nepal
    • New Zealand
    • North America
    • North Korea
    • Philippines
    • Russia
    • Singapore
    • South Korea
    • Sri Lanka
    • Thailand
    • UAE
    • Vietnam
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • 中文
No Result
View All Result
IAG
No Result
View All Result

Macau to introduce new travel agent and tour guide laws to crack down on “zero-fare” tours

Pierce Chan by Pierce Chan
Sun 24 Mar 2024 at 08:45
Macau to introduce new travel agent and tour guide laws to crack down on “zero-fare” tours
19
SHARES
475
VIEWS
Print Friendly, PDF & Email

The Macau government has introduced a new law on travel agents and tour guides that will prohibit local travel agencies from charging below-cost prices, further cracking down on “zero-fare” tours.

The draft law was announced by the Macau Executive Council on Friday. The law will simplify the licensing process for travel agents, with the Director of the Macao Government Tourism Office (MGTO) being responsible for approving travel agent licenses and relaxing the entry qualifications for technical directors of travel agents. The law will also separate the organization of tours and the ground transportation business of travel agents and refine the responsibilities of travel agents.

One of the objectives of the bill is to prohibit receiving agents from charging below-cost prices and to regulate the promotion and provision of self-financed activities. It is expected that the bill will be effective in combating “zero-fare” or low-cost tours to better protect the rights of tourists.

Commenting on the bill, MGTO Director Maria Helena de Senna Fernandes said, “Some (inbound) tours are obviously too low, for example, MOP$50 for a trip to Macau, which is obviously not reasonable.

“The current legislation does not regulate this practice. I hope that the new law, when passed, will minimize the emergence of grey areas.”

Zero-fare or low-cost tours often rely on tourists to make purchases in order to generate commissions, but this can lead to forced purchases or even disputes in the process.

In addition, since the reopening of Macau’s borders in January 2023, there have been a number of cases of unlicensed tour guides in which inbound tour groups travel through Macau without being received by local tour guides. This situation will be regulated by the new law, which stipulates that tours to Macau organized by travel agencies outside Macau must be handled by a local travel agency.

The law also mentions that the profession of being a tour guide can be performed by foreign employees, but when the travel agency lacks local tour guides who are proficient in a specific foreign language, foreign guides should apply for a job according to the law on the employment of foreign employees.

Fernandes explained, “There is a shortage of foreign language tour guides in Macau, such as Indonesian. The government is also cautious in approving applications. If a travel agency wants to bring in a foreign tour guide, the guide needs to obtain a license from the Institute for Tourism Studies.

“There are currently 1,758 tour guides in Macau, including 13 Korean-speaking non-residents, three Thai-speaking tour guides and one minor language guide. Foreign-language tour guides are a very small minority, and the government is very cautious in approving them.”

The bill has to be submitted to the Legislative Council for scrutiny and is not expected to come into effect anytime soon.

RelatedPosts

Macau planning to ban all forms of advertising for gambling activities

Macau planning to ban all forms of advertising for gambling activities

Fri 4 Jul 2025 at 15:04
Hong Kong to launch “Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles” scheme, no immediate plans for Macau

Hong Kong to launch “Southbound Travel for Guangdong Vehicles” scheme, no immediate plans for Macau

Wed 2 Jul 2025 at 18:10
Team Spirit

IAG announces Light & Wonder, Angel and Aristocrat Gaming as sponsors of Macau After Dark at Vasco – Bar & Lounge on Monday 7 July

Wed 2 Jul 2025 at 15:33
Macau Legend says no concerns over ability to continue after reaching agreement with lenders to defer HK$2.1 billion in looming repayments

Macau Legend says no concerns over ability to continue after reaching agreement with lenders to defer HK$2.1 billion in looming repayments

Wed 2 Jul 2025 at 06:19
Load More
Tags: Macao Government Tourism OfficeMacauMaria Helena de Senna Fernandestour groupsTour guides
Share8Share1
Pierce Chan

Pierce Chan

With more than five years’ experience working as a journalist in Macau, Pierce is an experienced media operator with strong skills in news writing and editing. He previously worked with Exmoo, first as a reporter covering government, gaming and tourism-related stories, then as a Deputy Assignment Editor helping set the agenda of the day. Pierce is a graduate of the University of Macau.

Current Issue

Editorial – An inconvenient truth

Editorial – An inconvenient truth

by Ben Blaschke
Fri 27 Jun 2025 at 15:21

It’s understandable that political observers, academics and members of the public in greenfield jurisdictions would express caution around the legalization...

Light & Wonder’s Siobhan Lane

Light & Wonder’s Siobhan Lane

by Ben Blaschke
Fri 27 Jun 2025 at 15:19

Siobhan Lane, Light & Wonder’s highly experienced CEO of Gaming, speaks to Inside Asian Gaming about the company’s ongoing transformation...

Honesty is the best policy

Honesty is the best policy

by Ben Blaschke
Fri 27 Jun 2025 at 14:13

The Thailand Entertainment Complex Roundtable brought industry stakeholders, politicians and supporters of the government’s Entertainment Complex Bill face to face...

Sri Lanka’s casino industry

Sri Lanka’s casino industry

by Shaun McCamley
Fri 27 Jun 2025 at 13:36

Industry veteran Shaun McCamley delves into the complex history of Sri Lanka’s casino industry at a time when the country...

Evolution Asia
Your browser does not support HTML5 video.
Aristocrat
GLI
Nustar
SABA
Mindslot
Solaire
Hann
Tecnet
NWR
Jumbo
568Win

Related Posts

DigiPlus launches US$106 million share buyback scheme

DigiPlus launches US$106 million share buyback scheme

by Newsdesk
Mon 7 Jul 2025 at 10:17

Philippine gaming technology firm DigiPlus Interactive Corp has announced the launch of a Php6 billion (US$106 million) share buyback scheme that it says highlights the company’s confidence in its long-term growth prospects. Notably, the announcement comes just days after company...

Star to open AU$3.6 billion Queen’s Wharf Brisbane development on 29 August

Star’s Hong Kong partners offer one month reprieve to complete Queen’s Wharf Brisbane deal

by Ben Blaschke
Mon 7 Jul 2025 at 08:55

A deal to offload its 50% stake in the AU$3.6 billion (US$2.4 billion) The Star Brisbane integrated resort at Queen’s Wharf is still on the table for Star Entertainment Group after revealing Monday that its Hong Kong partners have granted...

Inside Thai IRs

Thai government may formally withdraw casino bill from House agenda citing need for new cabinet to review

by Newsdesk
Mon 7 Jul 2025 at 05:20

The Thai government will consider formally withdrawing its controversial Entertainment Complex Bill from the House agenda this week in order to allow a thorough review by the newly appointed cabinet, said Deputy Finance Minister Julapun Amornvivat. The bill could be...

JP Morgan analysis says Bangkok IRs could generate combined US$5 billion annually

Thai authorities arrest 70 in bust of illegal Bangkok gambling den

by Newsdesk
Sun 6 Jul 2025 at 14:41

With the prospect of legal casinos in Thailand looking more remote by the day, authorities have arrested more than 70 people after busting an illegal gambling den in the Phahon Yothin area of Bangkok. According to The Bangkok Post, the...



IAG

© 2005-2024
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • SUBSCRIBE FREE
  • NEWSFEED
  • MAG ARTICLES
  • VIDEO
  • OPINION
  • TAGS
  • REGIONAL
  • EVENTS
  • CONSULTING
  • CONTRIBUTORS
  • MAGAZINES
  • ABOUT
  • CONTACT
  • ADVERTISE
  • 中文

Welcome Back!

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In

Add New Playlist

No Result
View All Result
  • 中文
  • Subscribe
  • Newsfeed
  • Mag Articles
  • Video
  • Opinion
  • Tags
  • Regional
  • Events
  • Contributors
  • Magazines
  • Advertise
  • Contact
  • About
  • Home for G2E Asia

© 2005-2024
Inside Asian Gaming.
All rights reserved.

  • 中文
  • English