SINGAPORE, 27 October 2021: Singapore Tourism Board has served a notice of intent to suspend Continental Travel Singapore Pte Ltd over alleged involvement in fraudulent SingapoRediscovers voucher redemptions.
The notice to suspend the company’s travel agent licence was in accordance with the Travel Agents Act (Chapter 334). In the public statement, Singapore Tourism Board noted it had issued a Notice of Intent to suspend Continental Travel Singapore’s travel agent licence due to its suspected (SRV) redemptions. STB alleged the company engaged in cashback arrangements by partially refunding, in cash, the value of the SRV bookings made by some members of the public.
Continental Travel Singapore has also been removed from the SRV scheme and will not be able to accept new bookings involving the SRV. Existing SRV bookings that are legitimate will not be affected, and pre-booked experiences can still proceed as planned. Continental Travel Singapore had 14 days to appeal against the notice.
In the meantime, Continental Travel Singapore will still be required to carry out all existing obligations to its consumers and industry partners, including ensuring that all existing bookings, regardless of whether they involve the use of SRVs, are not affected during the notice period and any subsequent suspension period. It is also required to inform all customers of the Notice of Intent to Suspend its travel agent licence.
In the statement, STB said it “takes a serious view of any attempt to abuse the SRV scheme and has referred the matter to the Police. On 27 September 2021, the Police arrested three persons linked to Continental Travel Singapore for their involvement in a series of suspected fraudulent SRV redemptions. Police investigations into the matter are ongoing.
