Former director of travel agency fined

SINGAPORE - A former director of travel agency Mandarin World Holidays (MWH), Tan Siew Choo, has been convicted of conducting the business without a valid travel agent licence.

The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) said in a statement that she was fined a total of $3,000.

A total of 28 complaints against MWH were received between 2008 and 2010, STB said.

MWH's travel agent licence was suspended from April 3, 2010, to July 1, 2010, following the complaints.

Its licence was subsequently revoked on September 20, 2010, after the firm was found to have offered travel-related services during the suspension period.

During a raid by STB on October 13, 2010, MWH was found to be providing travel-related services despite having its travel agent licence revoked earlier.

Offenders found guilty of carrying on the business of a travel agent without a valid travel agent licence face a fine of up to $10,000, up to two years in jail, or both.

For the latest list of licensed travel agents in Singapore, please visit the Travel Related Users' System (TRUST) website, https://trust.yoursingapore.com.

ljessica@sph.com.sg