The Shanghai Municipal Administration Of Industry and Commerce announced that it is illegal for travel agencies to place advertisements for group trips to the United States or Canada.

A representative from the Department says that because the travel market to these two countries has not been formally opened to Chinese citizens, travel agencies are not allowed to promote group travel.

The Department says it has found three types of illegal advertisements for this type of travel service. The first includes travel advertisements released by businesses that do not own a legal travel business license. The second comes from travel businesses offering services that go beyond their business scope. And the third is that many companies use ambiguous wordings in their advertisements to misguide consumers.

The Department reminds citizens not to believe travel agencies who promise them family reunion programs and it encourages consumers to report those travel agencies that promote such ads to North America.