Li Qiaozhen, a Hong Kong tour guide who was filmed berating a group of mainland visitors for failing to spend enough at a jewellery store, apologizes for her outburst Tuesday at a press conference in Hong Kong. In tears, she admits that she was under intense pressure because of the incident. Edmond Tang / China Daily

Hong Kong tour guide Li Qiaozhen, who was caught on video berating a busload of mainland tourists, showed up and made a public apology on Tuesday.

"It's been two weeks. I had no courage to stand out... I feel very sorry. I hope our Hong Kong citizens and mainland fellows can forgive my mistake," said Li during a press conference, at which she was accompanied by Legislator Paul Tse. This was Li's first public appearance since the video clip caused an uproar in both Hong Kong and the mainland after it played on the Internet. Wearing a black shirt, she looked pale and small.

Li claimed that while she abused the tourists over their failure to spend money at a jewelry shop, the tourists had also used sharp language when speaking to her. "It takes two to tango," she said. "They denied my service for the two days... I could not control my emotion, and said something I shouldn't have said."

She also disputed claims that the tourists had spent HK$400 thousand, as some tour members claimed. Li said all 26 tourists collectively spent just HK$13,000. She stressed the tourists were aware that this was a shopping tour. "Why you (tourists) knew it was a shopping tour group, but you blame me in turn?"

"Every industry has its own difficulties... We have our own... You won't know if you are not actually in it," she said.

Li revealed she was self-employed and had no basic salary, but received tips of HK$50 per person for two days. "Of course it would be better to have a basic salary. But it's the system. I can't control it." she said.

She admitted that she also received commissions from the tourists' spending, but she stressed it accounted for only a very small portion of her income.

She stated that her company, Golden Win International Travel Service Limited, didn't push her to hard-sell tourists. She claimed the conflict between her and tour group members had nothing to do with the commissions.

Li also noted the tourists at that time didn't complain either to her company or to the Travel Industry Council (TIC). She said she had been a tour guide for years but this was the first complaint made against her.

Li feels under intense pressure because of the incident. "My nerves are almost ready to break down. For the past days I could not sleep... I don't dare stay in Hong Kong, but have hidden at a friend's place in Shenzhen. Days feel like years. I've been worrying about my life in future," she said.

Asked whether the travel agency should also take responsibility, managing director of Golden Win Benny Chau Man-wai said "the nature of the incident has yet to be determined." He stressed that over the past 11 years the company had received only eight complaints.

Legislator Paul Tse called for TIC to review the entire Hong Kong tourism system, regarding to "zero-charge" tours. "The bright side of the incident is, to push the government and council to speed up the improvement," he said.

As a new immigrant and single mother, Li said it was not easy to make a living in Hong Kong. Although having been in the city for ten years, she still feels the culture difference. She stressed she likes the tour guide job most because she can speak her mother touge when working. She expressed her will to continue the work and hoped that the TIC will not suspend her license.

China Daily

(HK Edition 07/28/2010 page1)