Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong

• The Scheme is provided for under the Travel Industry Compensation Fund (TICF). It offers financial relief to outbound travellers on package tours who are injured or killed in accidents whilst touring abroad.

• An outbound traveller means a person who has paid to a travel agent at an inclusive price for an outbound travel service comprising any two or all of the following :
  1. carriage (by land, sea or air transport) from Hong Kong to places outside Hong Kong;
  2. accommodation outside Hong Kong;
  3. arrangements for an activity outside Hong Kong.

• Under the Scheme, an outbound traveller or his/her personal representative (as appropriate) may receive, on successful application, the following ex gratia payment subject to the maximum amounts:

Medical expenses incurred in the place of accident outside Hong Kong	up to HK$100,000
Expenses incurred in the place of accident outside Hong Kong for funeral or return of dead body/ashes to Hong Kong	up to HK$40,000
Expenses for compassionate visit or handling of residual matters relating to the death by two relatives	up to HK$20,000 per relative

The Scheme does not cover:

• hospitalisation arising from illness;

• death or injury sustained whilst engaged in an activity which is not provided or organised by the travel agent concerned; and

• individual stay-behind activities.

When there is a tour accident, the travel agent concerned or its tour escort should

• take emergency measures as necessary to protect safety of travellers;

• seek advice from the Travel Industry Council of Hong Kong (TIC) as necessary in matters such as passage and accommodation arrangement, crisis management, etc.;

• inform the following:

  The TIC	(852)2807-1199
  Travel Agents Registry	(852)3151-7945

• make advance assistance in respect of the relevant expenses to the outbound travellers where circumstances warrant and make necessary arrangements for reimbursement by travellers after they have received ex gratia payment from the TICF;

• state clearly to outbound travellers that they may only claim three types of relevant expenses from the TICF subject to the maximum amounts;

• ascertain whether outbound travellers would seek compensation from their insurers or apply for ex gratia payment under the TICF;

• coordinate applications of the outbound travellers for ex gratia payment under the TICF; and

• collect and submit supplementary documents from the outbound travellers when necessary.

• make sure that the tour members' receipts for the outbound travel service are clearly franked to indicate a levy payment equal to 0.3 per cent of the outbound fare paid;

• advise the tour members to deposit the original receipt at home or with a relative and carry the photocopy on the tour;

• advise the tour members to take out their own insurance policy to better cover their own travel needs;

• maintain the name list of the tour members for each tour group with information on their insurers and other particulars especially their contacts for emergency use; and

• instruct the tour escort to notify his/her company of the details of the tour accident immediately.

• TICF Management Board Secretariat
  c/o Travel Agents Registry
  Rooms 4901, 49/F, Hopewell Centre, 183 Queen's Road East, Wanchai, Hong Kong
  Tel: (852)3151-7945

• The TIC
  Rooms 1706-1709, Fortress Tower, 250 King's Road, North Point, Hong Kong
  Tel: (852)2807-1199