To tackle the problems caused by "zero-fee" tours and alleged malpractice, the Travel Industry Council (TCI) yesterday said that the shopping sessions for mainland tourists should be abolished so that the tourists are not forced into shopping and do not face the risk of being abandoned by the guides.

However, the suggestion of council executive director Joseph Tung was turned down by travel agency representatives who said the tour guides' salary hike should be the pre-requisite for scrapping the session.

Tung's suggestion followed the protest by 300-odd tour guides who assembled at an assembly on Monday. Putting the blame squarely on the agencies, the guides said they were asked to force tourists to shop for commission, and told by some agencies to abandon the groups if the shopping target was not achieved.

Expressing deep concern, Secretary for Economic Development and Labour Stephen Ip said the government would discuss with the council on improving the penalty mechanism against malpractice agencies.

Dismissing the charge that the government had made tour guides "the scapegoats", Ip said the government together with the council, agencies, Tourism Board and the Consumer Council, would tackle the problem.

Tung said shopping arrangement was the main problem behind "zero-fee" tour and this has sullied Hong Kong's reputation.

"We should scrap the shopping session of mainland tour groups. Shopping should not be part of the itinerary unless it is requested by the tourists themselves. Tour guides should only take the groups to shop on tourists demand," he said.

Tour group fees might be raised accordingly, he said.

"The travel agencies will then not expect commission to cover the tour costs once the shopping session is scrapped. They will charge a higher tour fees, and pay more to the tour guides. I don't think tour guides will provide service if they are not paid enough," he said.

Hong Kong Tour Guides General Union chairman Wong Ka-hoi, who organized the Monday's assembly, however, said tour guides' pay should be raised before scrapping the shopping sessions.

At Monday's assembly, the guides also had threatened to take further actions, such as burning the licence issued by the council, if they were not given satisfactory response within two weeks.

Wong said the 2 to 8 per cent commission on tourists' shopping was the only way for the survival of 6,000 tour guides as they were not entitled to wages. "The suggestion is fine if the salary is raised," Wong said.

China Travel Service Inbound Chinese Visitors Department manager Michael Shi said Tung's suggestion might not be practical.

"The mainland tourists come to Hong Kong because it is cheap. They may not come if you raise the tour fees," he said.