The Buzz | Tourism: Digital forms aim to curb illegal operators

Travel agencies booking group trips to Macau and Hong Kong will be urged to use digital forms for government approval starting on Sept 1, in a move aimed at curbing illegal travel operators in Guangdong province that might cheat mainland tourists, the China Daily reported yesterday.
By the end of this year, all outbound group tours will adopt digital forms only, the China National Tourism Administration said.
The move is a reflection that illegal travel operators have violated tourists’ rights by accessing paper forms with official stamps from the black market, said Peng Zhikai, head of the administration’s supervision and management division. Digital forms can help monitor travel groups and deal with tourists’ complaints, Peng said.