ENG-1995 — Page 364

TRAVEL AND TOURISM

industry. It also produced a Hotel, Catering and Tourism Courses Directory, which provided comprehensive information on the availability of such courses.

To generate and maintain a high professional standard among tour co-ordinators, the association operated a registration system through the Hong Kong Association of Registered Tour Co-ordinators (HARTCO) and produced a HARTCO Membership Directory to help tourism personnel select qualified guides. In addition, the HKTA organised a biennial 'Tour Co-ordinator of the Year Award' to promote pride and professionalism.

To promote career opportunities in the tourism industry, the HKTA supported the Travel and Tourism Education Programme. At the end of 1995, 41 schools made tourism a subject in their curriculum for some 2 400 students. The association also gave presentations to schools and other interested parties, organised career seminars and participated in career exhibitions.

Outbound Travel

Hong Kong's outbound travel business is operated by some 1 200 travel agents who are licensed by the Registrar of Travel Agents under the Travel Agents Ordinance. Regulation of the business is undertaken through the mutually complementary work of the Registrar and the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong (TIC). To be licensed, a travel agent must be a member of the council. The Registrar is mainly responsible for performing regulatory functions under the ordinance, such as licensing of outbound travel agents; financial and character investigation of licensed travel agents; hearing of appeals and handling of complaints concerning suspected unlicensed travel agents.

The council's major regulatory functions are: improvement of trade practices, as well as enforcement of codes of conduct and directives of the industry; collection of statutory levies; handling of public complaints and enquiries; and establishment of membership criteria and maintenance of membership records. Member travel agents who breach the rules of self-regulation risk losing their TIC membership and the licence to operate.

In response to a recommendation of the Public Accounts Committee of the Legislative Council, a review on the self-regulation of the outbound travel industry was completed in September 1995. After consulting the parties concerned, it was concluded that the policy objective should be to promote self-regulation of the outbound travel industry as far as possible and that the existing regulatory regime was functioning effectively and should therefore be retained. The review has also identified and recommended possible refinements to the existing regulatory regime and efficiency improvement measures. A report on the outcome of the review will be submitted to the Public Accounts Committee of the Legislative Council.

Consumers joining outbound package tours are now protected by the Travel Industry Compensation Fund, which was established under the Travel Agents Ordinance in 1993. It is managed by an independent management board appointed by the Governor and derives its income from fund levies imposed upon licensed travel agents on the basis of the outbound package tour fares. Should a licensed travel agent default, aggrieved outbound travellers with franked receipts are entitled to claim an ex gratia compensation of 80 per cent of the outbound fares paid. In 1995, no

305