IT WAS a case of choices galore for Mr Ong Tok Lwee when he travelled to Europe with his family in May. But as he found out, this was more of a bane than boon.

Together with his wife, son and daughter-in-law, the 55-year-old site supervisor had signed up for a 15-day tour of Italy, Switzerland and France with Dynasty Travel, forking out about $3,500 per person, including taxes.

At a pre-departure briefing, a customary session organised by the travel agent to discuss the tour itinerary, he was told that they could sign up for one optional tour, or activities outside the regular schedule at extra cost.

But the number of optional tours - also known as optionals - was five.

Recalls Mr Ong: "The tour manager kept pressuring us to join. When we visited the Sistine Chapel in the Vatican City, we were told that if we didn't sign up for the tour to go in, we would just have to wait outside at St Peter's Square."

The tour manager even visited people in their hotel rooms to persuade them to sign up.

Feeling cornered, the Ong family did so for all five tours, which cost another $560 each.

Even then, they weren't happy with one optional. A supposed trip to factory outlets in the Italian city of Mendrisio that cost 20 euros (S$42) "turned out to be just a normal shopping centre", laments Mr Ong.

Back in Singapore, he and several other tour participants complained to the agency which offered a refund of 15 euros each.

The entire episode left Mr Ong feeling a little cheated. "I wish the agency had been more upfront, especially at the time of booking, on other costs we may have to incur. In the end, the optionals cost 17 per cent of the initial price."

When asked about Mr Ong's case, Ms Fern Sim, marketing communications manager for Dynasty Travel, says: "We take every feedback seriously. We always try our best to maintain excellent service standards at all times.

"We also work closely with our overseas tour operators and conduct frequent checks to ensure consistency in the standard and quality of our tours. With regards to Mr Ong's case, we took immediate action to investigate and resolve the matter amiably."

[ST photo illustration: Desmond Foo]

Call for transparency

MORE and more, such scenarios are emerging as an oft-sung traveller's tale.

The industry-wide practice of selling optional tours has irked consumers. They gripe about a lack of transparency among travel agents, particularly at the point of sale where staff may gloss over what's excluded; high-pressure tactics from tour leaders or guides to sign up for optionals; and why certain sights are part of an optional tour and excluded from the itinerary.

A check with the Consumers Association of Singapore (Case) showed that from February 2005, it had received seven complaints about optional tours. Of this number, four were filed cases and three were inquiries.

Though the specific numbers seem small, Case also received 144 complaints against travel agencies for "unsatisfactory services" from January to June this year.

Mr Robert Khoo, chief executive of the National Association of Travel Agents Singapore (Natas) which has 380 members, acknowledges that many agents are trying to "get their price down as far as possible".

This may entail cutting down on what is included in the itinerary, and rebranding the activities hived off as optionals.

Though this strategy has been around for years, a growing competition for business - especially in emerging markets like China - has perhaps exacerbated the situation.

Says Mr Khoo: "The code of ethics is simple: Be transparent. We don't want our members to hide things, to talk about 'this extra, that extra' only after the customer has signed on.

"The conditions that come with the tour can be abnormal but as long as the customer knows before he buys, that's fine."

Add-ons for variety

A CHECK with major agencies shows that all sell optionals on top of standard tour packages.

In their defence, they say these add-ons - from cruises to concerts to spa treatments - exist primarily to offer variety and to cater to personal interests.

How these tours work: Outbound travel agencies here typically work with overseas land operators to jointly offer and organise such tours, with the latter taking care of on-site details like transport and guiding.

While the agency may provide a tour leader from here, it is usually the land operator who supplies the local tour guide and driver.

The longer the trip, the more optionals are available. A 16-day tour to Europe could have as many as eight optionals, says Ms Joycelyn Su, vice-president of marketing at CTC Holidays' outbound tours division.

Costs vary but go towards transport, additional guide charges and entrance fees.

Though some consumers may be uncomfortable with such 'remote' arrangements, a spokesman for SA Tours explains: "These tours are usually arranged overseas due to unforeseen circumstances like weather, seasonal changes - what one can view during winter is different from in summer - or even having the location cordoned off for filming."

The onus, then, is on agencies here to make sure their foreign counterparts deliver. Chan Brothers, for example, says it has "very stringent criteria in selecting and assessing our overseas partners and we work only with the more established and reputable ones", says its marketing communications executive Jane Chang.

As for transparency, agencies say they state clearly on promotional brochures and itineraries what's included.

For travellers who miss that, these points are further reiterated at pre-departure briefings. They also tell customers that tour leaders will still keep them occupied - by, say, ferrying them back to the hotel for a rest or taking them shopping - should they choose not to go on an optional.

Says Dynasty's Ms Sim: "It is difficult to have a standard operating procedure when we are in the service industry. As far as we can, we try to prevent negative feelings from developing among customers by giving them as much information as possible during our pre-departure briefing prior to the trip."

CTC's Ms Su says her agency hands out lists of optional tours detailing description and costs at briefings.

But even so, a problem could lie in the poor or unclear use of words on itineraries and brochures, says Mr Khoo. This, in turn, could mislead customers into expecting that certain attractions are included.

For instance, 'viewing' a place may not mean going into the premises but simply passing by in a coach.

To avoid further misunderstandings, Natas intends to issue guidelines on how to better craft itineraries to all its members "as soon as possible", says Mr Khoo.

Then what of the complaints that tour leaders or local guides are pushy about optionals, possibly because they stand to earn from sign-ups?

The answers are not so clear-cut.

Officially, agencies say they do not take kickbacks from optionals. The money could go to the local tour guide, tour leader or driver - and deservedly so as they are the staff keeping customers happy on the ground.

CTC, for example, gives its tour leaders about 2 to 3 euros per passenger per optional tour in Europe.

So whether a traveller gets pressured to buy extras depends on how hungry the person leading the group is for commission.

Ultimately, however, it seems the customer is also partly to blame.

With many choosing to buy low-priced, content-scarce packages, it is no surprise that agencies are forced to partner cheap overseas operators that may turn out to be unscrupulous or are big on hard-selling optionals.

Says Mr Khoo: "If that continues, you are only suggesting to sellers to come up with more of such gimmicks.

"Consumers have to be more careful about what they buy. They should ask more questions and get things in black and white. If they buy based on quality and content, everybody would be happy."

sandral@sph.com.sg

Top illustration: Ludwig Ilio