No. S 761
Travel Agents Act
(CHAPTER 334)
Travel Agents Regulations 2017
In exercise of the powers conferred by section 28 of the Travel Agents Act, the Singapore Tourism Board, with the approval of the Minister for Trade and Industry (Industry), makes the following Regulations:
PART 1
PRELIMINARY
Citation and commencement
1.—(1)  These Regulations are the Travel Agents Regulations 2017 and, except for regulations 17, 20, 23 and 24, come into operation on 1 January 2018.
(2)  Regulations 17, 20, 23 and 24 come into operation on 1 June 2018.
Definitions
2.  In these Regulations —
“applicant” means an applicant for a licence;
“general licence” means a licence that is not a niche licence, and includes a licence granted or renewed before 1 March 2018 under section 7(2) of the Act;
[S 100/2018 wef 01/03/2018]
“guiding services” has the same meaning as in section 19A(1) of the Singapore Tourism Board Act (Cap. 305B);
“institution of a public character” has the same meaning as in section 40A of the Charities Act (Cap. 37);
“key executive officer” means the individual appointed or acting as the key executive officer under regulation 15;
“net value” means —
(a)in relation to a person that is a sole proprietor or an unincorporated association, the amount that the person has set aside as capital for the person’s activity as a travel agent after deducting any debit balance appearing in the profit and loss account of the person;
(b)in relation to a person that is a partnership, the capital of the partnership, after deducting any debit balance appearing in the profit and loss account of the partnership; or
(c)in relation to a person that is a company, limited liability partnership or other body corporate, the excess of the value of the assets owned by the corporation over its liabilities;
“niche licence” means a licence that is subject to a condition restricting the licensee granted the licence to supply only tours within Singapore without any right of accommodation;
[S 100/2018 wef 01/03/2018]
“payment” means —
(a)any payment that is made in money by any of the following means:
(i)the presentation of a physical or an electronic payment instrument, such as cash, a cheque, a cashier’s order, or a voucher bearing a cash value or providing a discount;
(ii)the use of any credit or debit facility, such as by use of a charge card, credit card or debit card, or a credit or debit arrangement without the use of any such card;
(iii)the transfer of funds by any digital or electronic means, including by use of a digital wallet;
(b)any payment that is made in money’s worth by any points, rewards or other similar thing (whether in physical or electronic form) earned by a person under any member or loyalty programme and that may be used to redeem any travel product; or
(c)any payment that is made by a combination of any means in paragraph (a)(i), (ii) or (iii) or (b);
[S 927/2023 wef 01/01/2024]
“place of business”, in relation to a licensee, does not include a place where the licensee carries on business as a travel agent at a temporary booth or stall at a fair or an exhibition;
“tourist” has the same meaning as in section 19A(1) of the Singapore Tourism Board Act;
“tourist guide” has the same meaning as in section 19A(1) of the Singapore Tourism Board Act.
Minimum financial requirements for applicants
3.—(1)  For the purposes of section 7(3)(b) of the Act, the minimum financial requirements for an applicant for a general licence are as follows:
(a)where the applicant is a sole proprietor, partnership or an unincorporated association, the applicant’s net value must not be less than $100,000;
(b)where the applicant is a company, limited liability partnership or other body corporate, the applicant’s issued and paid‑up capital must not be less than $100,000 and the applicant’s net value not less than $100,000.
[S 100/2018 wef 01/03/2018]
(1A)  For the purposes of section 7(3)(b) of the Act, the minimum financial requirements for an applicant for a niche licence are as follows:
(a)where the applicant is a sole proprietor, partnership or an unincorporated association, the applicant’s net value must not be less than $50,000;
(b)where the applicant is a company, limited liability partnership or other body corporate, the applicant’s issued and paid‑up capital must not be less than $50,000 and the applicant’s net value not less than $50,000.
[S 100/2018 wef 01/03/2018]
(2)  For the purposes of paragraphs (1) and (1A), an applicant must, together with the application for a licence, submit a financial statement that presents the applicant’s financial position as at a date within 6 months before the date the applicant submits the application.
[S 100/2018 wef 01/03/2018]
Made on 21 December 2017.
CHALY MAH CHEE KHEONG
Chairman,
Singapore Tourism Board.
[MTI 119/01-1-10; AG/LEGIS/SL/334/2015/1 Vol. 1]