'Travel Firms Fail To Refund Millions To Schools'

Education sector lawmaker Ip Kin-yuen has accused travel agencies of pocketing over HK$7 million paid by around two dozen schools after study tours were cancelled due to the pandemic situation.

Ip said one school which had paid four planned trips has lost almost HK$3 million.

The lawmaker said the schools are not able to claim the full insurance payment for the cancelled trips as the travel agencies had refused to provide receipts of accommodation and transportation bookings needed to claim the insurance.

Shum Yiu-kwong, principal of the FDBWA Chow Chin Yau School in Tuen Mun said an agency they had engaged had promised to refund 50 percent of their tour fees of around HK$400,000 if they cancel tours before mid-May.

The school cancelled the trip in April but the company still hasn't given back the money.

He said the school asked for receipts so it could claim insurance, but the agency said it's "commercial secret" and refused to give it to them.

Shum said the agency tried several stalling methods, like saying the manager who signed papers promising the refund was no longer with the company, and then saying it had no money because of the pandemic situation.

Now the firm has shut its office and its phones have gone silent, he said.

Ip said some schools are taking the matter to the Travel Industry Council (TIC) and one school was able to get its money back after this. He said more schools will contact the council over this.