308 Travel and Tourism
operates a 'Refund Protection Scheme for Registered Shops'. Under the scheme, Mainland tour group visitors unhappy with their purchases may return the goods and seek refund within 180 days of purchase, provided the goods are in proper condition.
The TIC established a 'Task Force on the Review of the Operation and Regulation of Mainland Inbound Group Tours' to examine the arrangement for receiving Mainland tour groups and to propose improvements to existing regulations. The task force published its report in October 2010 which contains 10 proposals for strengthening the TIC's existing regulatory system; enhancing its penalty system's transparency; clarifying the respective responsibilities and rights of the parties involved in receiving tours; and raising tourists' awareness of consumer rights. The measures will go into effect on February 1, 2011.
The HKTB also introduced in 2006 the 'Quality & Honest Hong Kong Tour' in the Mainland that is guaranteed free of compulsory self-paid activities, guided shopping and imposition of surcharges.
The HKTB strengthened promotion of its tours in 2010 and at year's end the quality and honest tours were offered at 32 counters and 52 online travel portals, covering 27 Mainland cities.
Hospitality initiatives
Hospitality is essential to sustaining tourism. The Government runs a 'Hong Kong Young Ambassador Scheme' to train young people to be polite and helpful to visitors and to develop a strong hospitality culture in schools and in the community. More than 2 000 young people have joined the programme and have rendered about 160 000 hours of ambassadorial service.
Easier Entry for Visitors
Hong Kong is one of the world's most immigration-friendly cities. Travellers from some 170 countries and territories enjoy visa-free access to the city for stays of between seven and 180 days.
The Individual Visit Scheme (IVS), introduced by the Mainland, permits citizens of 49 designated Mainland cities to visit Hong Kong on their own instead of in tour groups. It is becoming increasingly popular. More than 14.24 million Mainlanders visited Hong Kong under the scheme in 2010, representing about 63 per cent of all Mainland arrivals.
New arrangements such as the one-year multiple-entry IVS endorsement for Shenzhen residents with household registrations to visit Hong Kong are being well received. The criterion for non-Guangdong residents living in Shenzhen to apply for IVS endorsements in Shenzhen to visit Hong Kong (without having to return to their cities of origin for such endorsements) was further expanded in December to cover most of such residents employed in Shenzhen.
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