When I made my tour booking with the staff of SA Tours - which is accredited by the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (Natas) - I inquired and was assured that the tour guide would speak English as I do not speak Mandarin.

But I was surprised when I met the tour guide on the day of travel - he insisted that mine was a 'strictly Mandarin-speaking' tour. When I pointed out that I was assured I would get a guide who could speak English, he replied that I should complain to the tour agency.

This exchange happened at 6.30am at the airport and the SA office was closed. Left with no recourse, I had to proceed with the tour. Consequently, I sat at the back of the bus during the entire tour in Japan, neither understanding nor learning anything much about the places I visited.

Upon my return, the travel agency refused to entertain my complaint. Its staff denied assuring me that the guide would be able to speak English when I made my booking, and said the tour's booklets and briefings - I did not get the former and was not informed of the latter - had affirmed that the guide would speak only Mandarin.

The agency's staff told me it was difficult to recruit English-speaking guides and that if clients were Chinese and did not ask the language of communication for the tour, the staff would not tell them.

Is omitting information pertinent to a client regarding a tour allowed in closing a sale? Does Natas, as the representative body of travel agents, offer a recourse?

Seet Gek Neo (Ms)

Forum note: The three-day Natas Fair starts tomorrow.