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HONG KONG: A Hong Kong tour guide who was slammed for berating a tour group from the mainland for not spending enough on shopping, has come out to apologise.
Facing the media for the first time, she said the incident was a misunderstanding, and was sorry for any misperception it created about the city's tourism industry.
The guide, who became a villain for tarnishing Hong Kong's tourist-friendly image, has decided to bite the bullet.
Fighting back tears in front of a packed press conference, she apologised for her tirade directed at her tour group, widely circulated as an online video.
Pausing between tears, Li Qiao Zhen cried: "I am so sorry. I hope that Hong Kong citizens and those on the mainland can forgive my misbehaviour. It was a misunderstanding."
The amateur video showed her chastising her tour group from China for not spending enough money shopping, threatening to lock them out of their hotel rooms.
The clip sparked outrage and even prompted Chinese authorities to issue a travel advisory on Hong Kong.
So-called zero fee tours are common practice, where tourists pay far below value, leaving guides to rely on commission from shopping sprees.
Ms Li said she lost her cool when a member of her group kept complaining about the itinerary which included a day of shopping, even though everyone signed an agreement about it beforehand.
"When we got back on the bus they started being very confrontational with me. So I got angry and lost my temper and started saying rude things. I deeply apologise for not being able to control my temper at that moment."
She denies they were forced to shop and apologised for any misunderstanding the incident created about tourism in Hong Kong.
Hong Kong's tourism industry is having a tough time shaking off the controversy.
Yet another video was leaked online just this week, showing a Hong Kong guide threatening to abandon his mainland tour group for not buying expensive cigarettes, calling them penniless."
The government has set up a task force to look into the recent incidents.
Legislator, Tourism Sector, Paul Tse said: "Certainly we should look into this whole system regarding zero or negative package fees very seriously, to see what impact it might have on Hong Kong tours as a whole."
Mainland tourists are a key driver to Hong Kong's tourism industry, with 17 million of them flocking to the city each year.
- CNA/jm
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