Sector / Industry
Travel Agent
Inbound package tour
Examples:
- Unscrupulous staff accept illegal commission from colluded shops or restaurants for arranging tourists to patronise those shops or restaurants.
- Compromised staff accept advantage from shops in return for recommending them to travel agent for application to Travel Industry Authority as registered shops.
- Staff accept advantage from shops for concealing tourists’ spending in the shops from the travel agent.
- Corrupt staff accept tips from tourists or shops without the permission of the travel agent.
- Dishonest staff embezzle admission tickets, meal coupons, or other tour fees for personal gain.
Outbound package tour
Examples:
- Compromised staff conspire with colluded land operators to inflate the price of services.
- Unscrupulous staff accept advantage for allocating quota of over-subscribed tours of popular destinations during peak seasons to late-comers.
- Tour escorts submit false documents to travel agents to deceive reimbursement or expenses incurred during outbound tours.
- Tour escorts deceitfully collect tips and service charges from tour participants.
Booking of air passages or hotel rooms
Examples:
- Compromised staff accept advantages from customers for reserving hotel rooms or low-fare group tickets for them during peak seasons.
- Compromised staff accept advantages from hotel staff for selecting their hotels as service providers or conspiring with them to inflate the price of rooms.
- Staff refer company’s business to other travel agents for personal gain.
Purchasing
Examples:
- Compromised staff accept advantages from well-acquainted coach companies or caterers for favouring the companies in awarding service contracts.
- Purchasing staff leak quotation prices or tender information to potential suppliers.
- Dishonest staff inflate order prices to pocket the price difference.
Staff, administration and accounting
Examples:
- Unscrupulous supervisors accept advantages from tour escorts/tourist guides for allocating more jobs and duties that are likely to attract greater monetary returns (e.g. long-haul tours).
- Compromised staff deceive company money with falsified attendance records or overtime claims.
- Staff accept advantages from colluded candidates for showing favour in staff recruitment or promotion.
- Unscrupulous staff falsify invoices or other documents to embezzle company funds.
Conflict of interest
Examples:
- Staff responsible for procurement has a financial interest in a company which is being considered by the travel agent for selection of a supplier, or the selected supplier is a close friend or relative of the staff.
- Staff involved in selection of service providers (e.g. coach service, caterer) engage the companies in personal functions.
- The staff responsible for recruitment is a relative of a candidate under consideration in a staff recruitment exercise.