The city government, through City Tourism Operations Officer Regina Rosa Tecson, has warned those that are into illegal tour operations.
Tecson raised the warning after the agency was able to discover someone who was into illegal tour operations as the company did not even have the basic business permit.
The agency should collaborate with law enforcement authorities and punish those into these shady businesses because they expose their unsuspecting clients to risks and deprive the government of taxes.
With the use of technology, illegal tour operations are very prevalent because those behind these activities use the so-called social media to entice clients to patronize them instead of those operating legally.
For one, these shady businesses do not pay taxes, making them sell packages and other products at much lower prices. Also, because they are not within the regulatory system, they can easily dupe clients who are looking for cheaper products to spend on.
The biggest problem is when their clients meet some problems because of their products as these illegal businesses usually disappear without any trace. The clients are left holding empty envelopes or sometimes bigger problems occur especially if they meet accidents along the way.
It is better for government to intensify its campaign against these activities and make sure that it throws the heaviest of books onto them.
