STB suspends Asian Travels Network licence for breaching travel agent regulations

The suspension means that the agency will not be allowed to accept new travel bookings. However, it is still required to fulfil any existing obligations to its customers. PHOTO: ST FILE

SINGAPORE - The Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has suspended the licence of local travel agent Asian Travels Network for breaching industry regulations.

The suspension, which took effect last Thursday (April 4), means that the agency will not be allowed to accept new travel bookings.

However, it is still required to fulfil any existing obligations to its customers.

In a statement on Wednesday, the STB said Asian Travels Network had failed to submit its audited statement of accounts within six months of the end of its financial year.

The STB said that the submission of audited accounts is a requirement under the Travel Agents Regulations.

Failure to submit the audited accounts by the stipulated deadline "raises concern over a company's ability to meet the minimum financial requirements mandated under the regulations", it added.

Asian Travels Network's suspension will be until further notice, said the STB, which gave the agency's licence number as 03109.

"STB takes a serious view against errant travel agents, and will not hesitate to take necessary actions to protect the reputation of Singapore's travel industry," the statement said.

The public can visit Travel Related Users' System (Trust) website at https://trust.yoursingapore.com for an updated list of licensed travel agents in Singapore.

Travel agents with licensing queries may e-mail stb_ta@stb.gov.sg.

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