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Travel and Tourism

Easier Entry for Visitors

Hong Kong is one of the world's most immigration-friendly cities. Travellers from some 170 foreign countries and territories enjoy visa-free access for stays of seven to 180 days.

The Mainland's Individual Visit Scheme permits residents of 49 designated Mainland cities to visit Hong Kong on their own instead of in tour groups. About 25 million Mainlanders visited Hong Kong under the scheme in 2017, representing about 57 per cent of all Mainland arrivals.

Protection of Travellers

Travel agents must obtain a government licence and be Travel Industry Council members to carry out travel business under the Travel Agents Ordinance. The council requires in its directive that only tourist guides it accredits can be assigned to receive inbound visitors. The council investigates complaints and takes disciplinary action against travel agents who do not observe its rules. Hong Kong had 1,737 licensed travel agents and 6,134 accredited tourist guides at the end of 2017.

The statutory Travel Industry Compensation Fund provides ex gratia payments of 90 per cent of the loss of outbound fares to outbound travellers in the event of a travel agent default. In 2017, ex gratia payments close to $895,000 were paid to 398 travellers affected by four default cases. The fund also offers aid in cases of outbound travellers injured or killed in accidents in the course of an activity arranged by a travel agent. It made ex gratia payments of $22,000 for two accidents that happened in 2017. Travellers must submit their applications within 24 months from the date of loss arising from a travel agent default or an outbound accident, and the review starts once all necessary documents are produced.

New Regulatory Framework

In March, the government introduced into the Legislative Council the Travel Industry Bill, which provides for the establishment of an independent statutory body, the Travel Industry Authority, to regulate travel agents, tourist guides and tour escorts in a holistic manner. The bill is under LegCo scrutiny.

Tourism Cooperation

The government signed the Agreement on Further Enhancement of Tourism Cooperation between the Mainland and Hong Kong with the China National Tourism Administration in August to strengthen tourism exchanges and collaboration, enhance the integrated development of tourism markets, products, information and services, and promote Hong Kong's development as a diversified tourism platform.

As a global player, Hong Kong is a member of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Tourism Working Group and the Pacific Asia Travel Association, and an associate member of the United Nations World Tourism Organisation.

Websites

Hong Kong Tourism Board: www.discoverhongkong.com

Meetings and Exhibitions Hong Kong: www.mehongkong.com Tourism Commission: www.tourism.gov.hk

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