Latest situation on Covid-19 infection cases

The Centre for Health Protection of the Department of Health has set up a dedicated webpage to provide relevant information and health advice on Covid-19 as well as the details of the latest reported cases.


Immigration Department's 24-hour helpline

Hong Kong residents who need help when they are outside the city may call the 24-hour hotline of the Immigration Department's Assistance to Hong Kong Residents Unit on (852)1868 or download the ImmD Mobile App to call the 1868 hotline using network data.


Protection for inbound visitors

Inbound visitors may browse the “ Advice for Travellers ” and the “ FAQs ” sections to learn about the protection for them. They may also browse the "List of Registered Shops" and “Shops whose Registration has been Cancelled”.


List of Passenger Fuel Surcharges

The public and travel agents may click the following to view the Passenger Fuel Surcharges collected by airlines:


List of operators and intending operators of study tours

Schools or organisations intending to appoint travel agents to organise study tours on their behalf can refer to the “List of operators and intending operators of study tours” and contact the travel agents directly.


Prohibited articles

For information about the import, export or transit of goods which are prohibited or controlled, please visit the Customs and Excise Department's website.


Communicable diseases and travel health advice

For updates on communicable diseases such as rubella in Japan, avian influenza and Ebola virus disease, please visit the Centre for Health Protection website.

Travellers wishing to learn about latest news on health advice, please visit the Hong Kong Travellers' Health Service website and the Travel Health Bulletin.


Recent decisions by TIC's disciplinary committees


Outbound Travel Alert (OTA) System and Registration of Outbound Travel Information (ROTI)

Hong Kong residents planning to travel overseas are advised to browse the Security Bureau's OTA webpage and use the Hong Kong Immigration Department’s ROTI service to receive OTA updates and related information from the Government. 


Visa-free Access for HKSAR Passports

Travellers may visit the GovHK website for an updated list of countries/territories which have granted visa-free access to HKSAR passport holders.


Change of TIC's office hours

From 2 January 2021, the office hours of the TIC Executive Office will be changed to:

Monday to Friday: 9.00 am to 1.00 pm and 2.00 pm to 5.30 pm;

Saturday, Sunday and public holidays: closed.


Resumption of conditional exemption for licensed travel agents to organise local group tours
2021-4-29

The Government announced on 27 April 2021 the resumption of conditional exemption for licensed travel agents to organise local group tours of not more than 30 persons including working staff accompanying the local group tours, with effect from 29 April 2021; please click here for details and here for the list of travel agents having been granted the conditional exemption and itineraries of local group tours having been registered.


Green Lifestyle Local Tour Incentive Scheme

Under the Green Lifestyle Local Tour Incentive Scheme, each eligible travel agent is entitled to cash incentives of HK$200,000 at most. The application period now lasts until 15 April 2022 (Circular C1923). Please click here for the details.


Travel Agents Incentive Scheme

Under the Travel Agents Incentive Scheme, each eligible travel agent is entitled to cash incentives of HK$120,000 at most. The application period now lasts until 15 April 2022(Circular C1923). Please click here for the details.


Membership renewal
2021-4-29

Members are required to renew their membership for 2021/22 by 31 May (Circular C1928).


Select “staff of tourism industry” priority group when making vaccination appointments
2021-3-19

Members are urged to remind their staff, tour escorts and tourist guides to select “staff of tourism industry” priority group when making vaccination appointments (Circular C1925).


Staff in tourism industry given priority to receiving vaccinations
2021-3-11

The scope of the priority groups under the COVID-19 Vaccination Programme will be expanded to cover staff in the tourism industry. For details, please refer to Circular C1924 (for staff of travel agents) and Latest News (for holders of valid Tour Escort Passes or Tourist Guide Passes)


Further extension of the validity of the Tourist Guide Pass and the two-year period for renewal of the Tourist Guide Pass
2020-12-11

The validity of those TGPs and those two-year periods for renewal of TGPs which have expired or are due to expire during the period from 1 January 2020 to 31 May 2021 is further extended until 30 June 2021 (Circular C1918).


Dedicated Email System for Tours from Shenzhen to Hong Kong
 2020-11-13

Please click here for the dedicated email addresses of Hong Kong’s receiving agents. The dedicated email addresses of Shenzhen’s outbound agencies can be downloaded here (password not required).

Members who are unable to obtain the latest information of the dedicated email address, please contact our Inbound Department on 2807-1199.


Survey and Research

The details of the project “Enhancing the Capability of Outbound SME Travel Agents for Service Innovation and Value Creation, Responding to the New Business Challenge” have been uploaded to the TIC website (Latest News).


Benefits for tourist guides

Training Programme Subsidy Scheme (for Tourist Guides) / CPD Subsidy Scheme

The Government announced that the scheme is furthr extended until 31 March 2022.  Please click here for details.

Continuing Professional Development (CPD) for tourist guides

Tourist guides may click the following links to browse the information of the CPD activities:

  1. “Knowledge on Hong Kong” Workshop / Quiz 
  2. Seminars on professional ethics
  3. Self-selected courses

Geopark Guide Accreditation System


Demerit system for tour guides

The TIC has set up a demerit system to improve the service standard of tourist guides who receive mainland visitors (“Other Rules for Tourist Guides”).


Latest information on courses for tour escorts

In view of the latest situation of COVID-19, applications for the "Certificate Courses for Outbound Tour Escorts" are not accepted until further notice. We apologise for any inconvenience caused.


Handy Tips for Tour Escorts

The “Handy Tips for Tour Escorts” covers general rules for healthy travel, basic first aid, insurance claims procedures and useful telephone numbers.


Safeguard HK

Security Bureau's mobile app Safeguard HK is launched.


What are the entry requirements for the Pre-service Tourist Guide Training Course? Which institutes are organising the Course?
What are the steps to establish a travel agent?
Is it true that receipts issued by registered shops must have a "full refund protection" phrase printed in accordance with rules set down by the TIC?
© 2005 Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong. All rights reserved.
Last Updated: 2021-5-13