S & # 39; engage in the practice of travel commissions to Storting: will ban the "Syden metoder" – Tourism – Companies

This summer, several media have mentioned what seems to have become a widespread practice in Norwegian tourism: Turguider asks the stores to pay commissions to guides and travel agencies to bring the tour groups to their stores. Those who do not pay pass.

Now, answers Geir Pollestad, politician of the Party of the center and head of the commission of the nuclear affairs of Storting.

Pollestad thinks it's time that a regulation bans this practice before the start of the next tourist season.

He wrote a written question to the Minister of Industry, Torbjørn Røe Isaksen, inviting him to assess the legality of this practice and to take steps to put an end to it.

"What I mean is that it's two things," Pollestad told E24.

"It's about the fact that the competition between Norwegian stores must be real and the country Norway should look like," he said.

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Not clear about the illegality

Pollestad describes this practice as a "Syden method" and believes that it means that as a tourist, you can not rely on buying the best souvenirs and that you may be advised to pay more than necessary.

He thinks it is unclear whether this practice violates Norwegian bribery rules and adds that it is also difficult to control taxpayers' pages relating to such agreements.

"At least that does not correspond to what Norwegian business practice should be, and we need to make it clear that we do not want such practices in Norway," he said.

Pollestad believes that media reports in the summer describe a widespread practice, fearing that it will widen further with increasing Chinese tourism in Norway.

– Undetectable and harmful

The business world of today has been among the first to talk about this phenomenon.

In the summer, Professor Tina Søreide told the Norwegian School of Economics of DN that commissions in the tourism industry were damaging, both for stores that lose their refusal to pay agencies or guides and for tourists – who lose their choice.

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"It may seem that the case is between several chairs, it is not entirely clear if it is usually illegal, but it is a practice of the gray zone that is unsustainable and harmful", Søreide told the newspaper.

DN discussed the practice with several souvenir shops and guides, including Anny-Irene Mykkeltvedt, a tradeswoman from Flåm, who for years has been saying no to tour guides who demand return fees.

"I think it should be criminal because it's fooling tourists, it's a question of good and bad.

The Bergens newspaper also mentioned the phenomenon and talked about Bryggen's desperate traders in Bergen, who found that tourists were being guided to the streets.

Pollestad tells E24 that he will pursue the matter in front of the Storting regardless of the response from the Minister of Industry.

– unreasonable competition

NHO Reiseliv says that they are well aware of the payment of commissions to tour guides.

"We are generally skeptical about such deals," said Kristin Krohn Devold, CEO.

– Foreign guides carry out missions to Norway without a fixed salary and only receive a commission in cash and cash. It's black and illegal work. There is also unfair competition against Norwegian guides who must operate legally and wholly, she said.

Devold points out that there is a difference between the commissions between two companies and the commissions to individuals: the first is not illegal, but the other can be a black salary and unauthorized.

"It is important that wages and legal working conditions are also respected by foreign actors in Norway.We think it is unfortunate if anyone feels compelled to conclude such agreements," she says. .