IN order to standardize the tourism market and promote the development of all-for-one tourism, the city’s tourism authority has launched a comprehensive operation to regulate the tourism market and investigate a number of travel agencies operating illegally, the Shenzhen Special Zone Daily reported yesterday.

In February, Shenzhen Tengfei Travel Agency Co. Ltd. was fined 500,000 yuan (US$74,744) for an accident. The company arranged for 29 tourists to visit Phoenix Valley, Taishan City for rafting activities May 28, 2016. That afternoon, a sudden flood drowned five tourists and injured three others.

In another case, Chen Peijian was found engaging in Taiwan tourism activities without obtaining the permission of tourism authorities Jan. 23. He was ordered to correct his behavior. His illegal gains of 650 yuan were confiscated and a fine of 25,000 yuan was imposed.

Two travel agencies were investigated for having unreasonably low prices. Shenzhen Shenhua International Travel Agency Co. Ltd., in the form of negative-charge tours, arranged for tourists from Shandong Province to travel in Hong Kong and Macao, and received 1,870 yuan in kickbacks for forced shopping. The city’s tourism authority ordered the company to make rectifications, confiscated the illegal gains of 1,870 yuan, imposed a fine of 60,000 yuan and ordered it to suspend business for a month. A fine of 3,000 yuan was issued to the person directly in charge of the company.

Shenzhen Gangzhong International Travel Agency Co. Ltd. also faced the same charges. The company was ordered to make rectifications and suspend business for two months, and was fined 100,000 yuan. The person directly in charge of the company was fined 5,000 yuan.

(Zhang Yu)