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Relations between tourist guides in Hong Kong and the industry watchdog, the Travel Industry Council (TIC), have deteriorated.

A row has been brewing between both sides for some time after the guides were blamed for damaging the image of tourism in the country, reports Chinese newspaper the Standard.

It stems from reports that guides are not taking tourists to landmarks and traditional attractions, instead they are ushering them towards shops.

The reason is that many of the guides work on a commission which is paid by local shop owners when tourists are bought to their stores.

This week, at a meeting of tourism officials, the TIC executive director Joseph Tung Yao-chung called for shopping trips to be scrapped from the tour guides' programme.

'We're not saying there won't be any more shopping in the future, but it should only be done when tourists have free time and when they request it,' said Mr Yao-chung.

The proposals have been met with a furious reaction from the Hong Kong Tour Guides' General Union which says if they are introduced many people will be left financially ruined.

'Everyone knows tour guides live solely on commissions,' said union chairman Wong Ka-hoi. 'If you do away with shopping, all our 6,000 tour guides' families will starve.'

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