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Code of conduct |
The Tourism Services (Code of Conduct for Inbound Tour Operators) Regulation 2003 includes a mandatory Code of Conduct. This applies to all inbound tour operators (ITOs).
Requirements of the Code
According to the Code of Conduct, you must:
- know and understand the Tourism Services Act 2003, the Code of Conduct and other relevant legislation
- provide a clear written policy about your dispute resolution processes
- operate honestly, fairly and professionally
- exercise skill, care and diligence
- not use high-pressure tactics or harassment
- not make false or misleading representations, regarding the:
- type and standard of transport you use for transfers and sightseeing
- existence, location or access to a place or attraction
- time it takes or route you use to get to a place or attraction
- standard, style or price of accommodation, food or beverages
- guiding services
- entry price of tourist attractions, tours or entertainment, or restrictions that apply to the travel package
- conditions on reservations, payment, funds or cancellations
- management of tours included in the package
- ensure that any quote for goods and services in a travel package reveals the total cost, including taxes and other charges
- ensure tours are not dominated by shopping unless requested by the client
- not charge for free goods and services, such as entry to the beach
- provide all goods and services included in the travel package. If good and services are unavailable when required, you must:
- try to provide goods or services of a similar type, value and quality
- refund the cost of the unavailable component if you cannot find a suitable replacement, substitute other goods or services of similar value, with the consent of the tourist
- ensure your tour guides behave appropriately, including:
- clearly displaying their identification
- including their full name, business address and a recent colour photo, as well as your name and business/trading name
- not stopping a tourist from shopping in a shop or buying goods or services from an alternative supplier
- not stopping a person lawfully advertising or giving information to a tourist about travel or other services, or a tourist´s access to this person, advertising or information
- not confiscating or withholding a tourist´s money, passport, personal documents or other property
- making false or misleading representations, or using unfair tactics and pressure
- ensure employees and others supplying goods and services to your clients maintain specified standards and comply with the law, including:
- having the appropriate visa to work or provide goods and services in Queensland
- being employed under the Tour Guides Award - State
- fulfilling obligations under the Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995
- being fluent in a language used by the tourist.
Unconscionable conduct
Tour guides and inbound operators must not engage in unconscionable conduct when providing services to tourists.
Unconscionable conduct may include:
- abusing your or an associate´s bargaining strength, such as threatening to prevent tourists from attending a trader´s premises unless the trader pays you a commission
- using undue influence, pressure or unfair tactics, such as taking tourists´ travellers cheques, credit card or passport so they can only shop in premises that pay you a commission
- failing to tell the tourist about any of your intentions that affect them, such as altering their itinerary so they spend more time in shops
- failing to tell the tourist about your relationship with another entity providing services to them, such as owning any part of it, or receiving payments or benefits from taking tourists to a particular trader
- allowing tourists to be taken advantage of due to their cultural, language or religious characteristics
- acting unfairly towards a tourist so they use only your services when other identical or equivalent services are available
- acting unfairly towards a tourist by leading them to certain places to shop, or using unreasonable tactics to sell goods and services when the same or similar are available elsewhere, possibly cheaper
- dissuading or preventing a tourist from making a free choice about where to eat, shop, stay or visit when they should reasonably be able to make that choice
- treating tourists inconsistently with other tourists around them, such as taking the tourists to a different theme park entrance where they cannot see the admission prices
- deceiving or misleading tourists, such as telling them a retailer´s goods are ´good value´ when you know that the same or similar goods are available cheaper elsewhere, or lying to tourists that certain goods from particular retailers are likely to be confiscated by customs
- breaching the Code of Conduct or industry/association codes you are bound by.
Related links |
Tourism Services Act 2003 (Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel website) |
Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995 (Office of the Queensland Parliamentary Counsel website) |
Last reviewed 01/07/2011 |
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